ERG-MYTHS  AND 
EGENDS  OF  THE 
ITISH  RACE 


fBBUTT  M.A. 


HERO-MYTHS  ftf  LEGENDS 
OF  THE  BRITISH  RACE 


Fr. 


Robin  Hood  and  the  Black  Monk 

(Page  331) 
William  Sewell 


HERO-MYTHS  6?  LEGENDS 
OF  THE   BRITISH    RACE 


BY 
M.    I.    EBBUTT    M.A. 


WITH  FIFIY-NINE   FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

J.  H.  F.  BACON  A.R.A.  BYAM  SHAW 
W.  H.  MARGETSON  R.I.  GERTRUDE 
DEMAIN  HAMMOND  AND  OTHERS 


NEW   YORK 

FREDERICK   A.    STOKES   COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


PRINTED   BT 

BALLANTYNE,    HANSON  &>  CO.  LTD. 
LONDON,  ENGLAND 


TO 

MISS    JULIA    KENNEDY 

IN  TOKEN  OF  THE  ADMIRATION 
AND  AFFECTION  OF  AN 

OLD  PUPIL 
THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED 


2060758 


PREFACE 

IN  refashioning,  for  the  pleasure  of  readers  of  the 
twentieth  century,  these  versions  of  ancient  tales 
which  have  given  pleasure  to  story-lovers  of  all 
centuries  from  the  eighth  onward,  I  feel  that  some 
explanation  of  my  choice  is  necessary.  Men's  concep- 
tions of  the  heroic  change  with  changing  years,  and  vary 
with  each  individual  mind ;  hence  it  often  happens  that 
one  person  sees  in  a  legend  only  the  central  heroism, 
while  another  sees  only  the  inartistic  details  of  mediaeval 
life  which  tend  to  disguise  and  warp  the  heroic  quality. 

It  may  be  that  to  some  people  the  heroes  I  have 
chosen  do  not  seem  heroic,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that 
to  the  age  and  generation  which  wrote  or  sang  of  them 
they  appeared  real  heroes,  worthy  of  remembrance  and 
celebration,  and  it  has  been  my  object  to  come  as  close 
as  possible  to  the  mediaeval  mind,  with  its  elementary 
conceptions  of  honour,  loyalty,  devotion,  and  duty.  I 
have  therefore  altered  the  tales  as  little  as  I  could, 
and  have  tried  to  put  them  as  fairly  as  possible  before 
modern  readers,  bearing  in  mind  the  altered  conditions 
of  things  and  of  intellects  to-day. 

In  the  work  of  selecting  and  retelling  these  stories 
I  have  to  acknowledge  with  most  hearty  thanks  the 
help  and  advice  of  Mr.  F.  E.  Bumby,  B.A.,  of  the 
University  College,  Nottingham,  who  has  been  through- 
out a  most  kind  and  candid  censor  or  critic.  His 
help  has  been  in  every  way  invaluable.  I  have  also 
to  acknowledge  the  generous  permission  given  me  by 
Mr.  W.  B.  Yeats  to  write  in  prose  the  story  of  his 
beautiful  play,  "  The  Countess  Cathleen,"  and  to  adorn 
it  with  quotations  from  that  play. 

The  poetical  quotations  are  attributed  to  the  authors 


PREFACE 

from  whose  works  they  are  taken  wherever  it  is  pos- 
sible. When  mediaeval  passages  occur  which  are  not 
thus  attributed  they  are  my  own  versions  from  the 
original  mediaeval  poems. 

M.  I.  EBBUTT 
TANCLEWOOD 

BARNT  GREEN 
July  1910 


CONTENTS 

CRAP.  PAGI 

INTRODUCTION xvii 

I.  BEOWULF i 

II.  THE  DREAM  OF  MAXEN  WLEDIG 42 

III.  THE  STORY  OF  CONSTANTINE  AND  ELENE      ...  50 

IV.  THE  COMPASSION  OF  CONSTANTINE          ....  63 
V.  HAVELOK  THE  DANE 73 

VI.  HOWARD  THE  HALT 95 

VII.  ROLAND,  THE  HERO  OF  EARLY  FRANCE         .        .        .119 
VIII.  THE  COUNTESS  CATHLEEN 156 

IX.    CUCHULAIN,   THE    CHAMPION    OF    IRELAND  .  .  .184 

X.  THE  TALE  OF  GAMELYN 204 

XI.  WILLIAM  OF  CLOUDESLEE 225 

XII.  BLACK  COLIN  OF  LOCH  AWE 348 

XIII.  THE  MARRIAGE  OF  SIR  GAWAYNE 265 

XIV.  KINO  HORN       » V       .        .286 

XV.  ROBIN  HOOD      .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .314 

XVI.  HEREWARD  THE  WAKE     .......    334 

GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 353 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Robin  Hood  and  the  Black  Monk     (William  Sewell)         Frontispiece 

Tofaccpact 

"The  demon  of  evil,  with  his  fierce  ravening,  greedily  grasped 

them  "     (].  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A.)  4 

Beowulf  replies  haughtily  to  Hunferth 

(J.  H.  F.Bacon,  A. R.A.)  12 

Beowulf  finds  the  head  of  Aschere       (J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A.)  22 

Beowulf  shears  off  the  head  of  Grendel 

(J.  H.  F.  Bacon,A.R.A.)  26 
"  Both  warriors  stood  behind  the  iron  shield  " 

(J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A.)  36 

The  death  of  Beowulf  (/.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A .R.A.)  40 

The  dream  of  the  Emperor     (Byam  Shaw)  46 

"There  came  from  heaven  a  leaping  flame,  which  touched  the 

surface  of  the  ground  here  and  there  "     (Byam  Shaw)  52 

The  Queen's  dilemma     (Byam  Shaw)  60 

They  filled  the  great  vessel  of  silver  with  pure  water 

(Byam  Shaw)  70 

"  Havelok  sat  up  surprised  "    (J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A.)  78 

"  Havelok  again  overthrew  the  porters  " 

(J.  H.F.Bacon,  A. R.A.)  82 

» '  Welcome,  dear  lord ! '  "     (J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A  .R.A .)  84 

"  With  great  joy  they  fell  on  their  knees  " 

(J.  H.  F.Bacon,  A. R.A.)  88 
"  On  a  miserable  jade  with  his  face  to  the  tail  " 

(/.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A  .R.A .)  92 

Olaf  and  Sigrid  (J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A  .R.A .)  98 

Howard  leaves  the  house  of  Thorbiorn 

(/.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A  .R.A .)  106 
"  The  silver  rolled  in  all  directions  from  his  cloak  " 

(J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A.}  no 

"  Thorbiorn  lifted  the  huge  stone  "  (J.  H.  F.  Bacon,  A.R.A .)  1 16 

Charlemagne     (Stella  Langdale)  120 

"  Here  sits  Charles  the  King  "     (Byam  Shaw)  124 

xiU 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

To  fact  page 

"  Ganelon  rode  away  "     (Byam  Shaw)  130 

"  Charlemagne  heard  it  again  "     (Byam  Shaw)  144 

"  Turpin  fell  forward  dying  "     (Byam  Shaw)  148 

11  Under  the  trees  lay  the  body  of  Roland"     (Byam  Shaw)  152 

Aude  the  Fair     (Evelyn  Paul)  154 

"  Day  by  day  Cathleen  went  among  them  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  162 

The  peasant's  story     (W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  172 

"Thieves  have  broken  into  the  treasure-chamber  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  1 76 

"  Cathleen  signed  the  bond  "     (W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  180 

11  All  three  drove  furiously  towards  Cruachan  " 

( W.  H .  Margetson,  R.I.)  190 
"  Three  monstrous  cats  were  let  into  the  room  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  192 
"The  dragon  sank  towards  him,  opening  its  terrible  jaws  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  196 

•'  The  body  of  Uath  arose  "  ( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  200 

"  Go  and  do  your  own  baking  !  "     ( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  206 

"  Lords,  for  Christ's  sake  help  poor  Gamelyn  out  of  prison  !  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  214 

"  Then  cheer  thee,  Adam  "     ( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  218 

"  Come  from  the  seat  of  justice ! "     (W.  H.  Margetson,  R.L)  222 

"William  continued  his  wonderful  archery "     (Patten  Wilson)  232 

Adam  Bell  writes  the  letter    (Patten  Wilson)  234 

The  fight  at  the  gate    (Patten  Wilson)  238 

William  of  Cloudeslee  and  his  son     (Patten  Wilson)  244 

"  Wait  for  me  seven  years,  dear  wife  "    (Byam  Shaw)  252 

"  The  King  blew  a  loud  note  on  his  bugle  " 

(W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  268 
"He  hung  his  head  and  rode  slowly  away  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  274 
"  Now  you  have  released  me  from  the  spell  completely  " 

( W.  H.  Margetson,  R.I.)  28z 

xiv 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Queen  Godhild  prays  ever  for  her  son  Horn     (Patten  Wilson)  288 

Horn  kills  the  Saracen  Leader    (Patten  Wilson)  298 

"  Now.  in  her  misery,  she  set  the  dagger  to  her  heart " 

(Patten  Wilson)  306 

Horn  and  his  followers  disguised  as  minstrels 

(Patten  Wilson)  312 

"  Little  John  caught  the  horse  by  the  bridle"  (Patten  Wilson)  316 

"  I  have  no  money  worth  offering  "     (Patten  Wilson)  320 

"  Sir  Richard  knelt  in  courteous  salutation  "     (Patten  Wilson)  324 

"  Much  shot  the  monk  to  the  heart  "     (Patten  Wilson)  330 

"  Her  pleading  won  relief  for  them  " 

(Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  R.I.)  334 

Alftruda    (Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  R.L)  340 

Hereward  and  the  Princess  (Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  R.L)  344 

Hereward  and  Sigtryg    (Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  R.I.)  348 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  writer  who  would  tell  again  for  people  of  the 
twentieth  century  the  legends  and  stories  that 
delighted  the  folk  of  the  thirteenth  and  four- 
teenth centuries  finds  himself  confronted  with  a  vast 
mass  of  material  ready  to  his  hand.     Unless  he  exer- 
cises a  wise   discrimination  and   has    some  system  of 
selection,  he  becomes  lost  in  the  mazes  of  as  enchanted 
a  land, 

"  Where  Truth  and  Dream  walk  hand  in  hand,'* * 

as  ever  bewildered  knights  of  old  in  days  of  romance. 
Down  all  the  dimly  lighted  pathways  of  mediaeval  litera- 
ture mystical  figures  beckon  him  in  every  direction ; 
fairies,  goblins,  witches,  knights  and  ladies  and  giants 
entice  him,  and  unless,  like  Theseus  of  old,  he  follows 
closely  his  guiding  clue,  he  will  find  that  he  reaches 
no  goal,  attains  to  no  clear  vision,  achieves  no  quest. 
He  will  remain  spell-bound,  captivated  by  the  Middle 
Ages— 

44  The  life,  the  delight,  and  the  sorrow 
Of  troublous  and  chivalrous  years 
That  knew  not  of  night  nor  of  morrow, 
Of  hopes  or  of  fears. 
The  wars  and  the  woes  and  the  glories 
That  quicken,  and  lighten,  and  rain 
From  the  clouds  of  its  chronicled  stories 
The  passion,  the  pride,  and  the  pain."  2 

Such  a  golden  clue  to  guide  the  modern  seeker  through 
the  labyrinths  of  the  mediaeval  mind  is  that  which  I  have 
tried  to  suggest  in  the  title  "  Hero  Myths  and  Legends 
of  the  British  Race  " — the  pursuit  and  representation 
of  the  ideal  hero  as  the  mind  of  Britain  and  of  early 
and  mediaeval  England  imagined  him,  together  with 

1  Lightfoot  2  Swinburne. 

•  iv ': 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

the  study  of  the  characteristics  which  made  this  or  that 
particular  person,  mythical  or  legendary,  a  hero  to  the 
century  which  sang  or  wrote  about  him.  The  interest 
goes  deeper  when  we  study,  not  merely 

"  Old  heroes  who  could  grandly  do 
As  they  could  greatly  dare,"  J 

but 

"  Heroes  of  our  island  breed 
And  men  and  women  of  our  British  birth."  * 

"  Hero-worship  endures  for  ever  while  man  endures," 
wrote  Thomas  Carlyle,  and  this  fidelity  of  men  to  their 
admiration  for  great  heroes  is  one  of  the  surest  tokens 
by  which  we  can  judge  of  their  own  character.  Such 
as  the  hero  is,  such  will  his  worshippers  be  ;  and  the 
men  who  idolised  Robin  Hood  will  be  found  to  have 
been  men  who  were  themselves  in  revolt  against 
oppressive  law,  or  who,  finding  law  powerless  to  pre- 
vent tyranny,  glorified  the  lawless  punishment  of  wrongs 
and  the  bold  denunciation  of  perverted  justice.  The 
warriors  who  listened  to  the  saga  of  Beowulf  looked  on 
physical  prowess  as  the  best  of  all  heroic  qualities,  and 
the  Normans  who  admired  Roland  saw  in  him  the  ideal 
of  feudal  loyalty.  To  every  age,  and  to  every  nation, 
there  is  a  peculiar  ideal  of  heroism,  and  in  the  popular 
legends  or  each  age  this  ideal  may  be  found. 

Again,  these  legends  give  not  only  the  hero  as  he 
seemed  to  his  age  ;  they  also  show  the  social  life,  the 
virtues  and  vices,  the  superstitions  and  beliefs,  of  earlier 
ages  embedded  in  the  tradition,  as  fossils  are  found  in 
the  uplifted  strata  of  some  ancient  ocean-bed.  They 
have  ceased  to  live  ;  but  they  remain,  tokens  of  a  life 
long  past.  So  in  the  hero-legends  of  our  nation  we 

1  Gerald  Massey.  «  J.  R.  Denning. 

zriii 


INTRODUCTION 

may  find  traces  of  the  thoughts  and  religions  of  our 
ancestors  many  centuries  ago  ;  traces  which  lie  close 
to  one  another  in  these  romances,  telling  of  the  nations 
who  came  to  these  Islands  of  the  West,  settled,  were 
conquered  and  driven  away  to  make  room  for  other 
races  whose  supremacy  has  been  as  brief,  till  all  these 
superimposed  races  have  blended  into  one,  to  form  the 
British  nation,  the  most  widespread  race  of  modern 
times.  For 

"  Britain's  might  and  Britain's  right 
And  the  brunt  of  British  spears  "  l 

are  not  the  boast  of  the  English  race  alone.  No  man  in 
England  now  can  boast  of  unmixed  descent,  but  must 
perforce  trace  his  family  back  through  many  a  marriage 
of  Frank,  and  Norman,  and  Saxon,  and  Dane,  and 
Roman,  and  Celt,  and  even  Iberian,  back  to  prehistoric 
man — 

"  Scot  and  Celt  and  Norman  and  Dane, 
With  the  Northman's  sinew  and  heart  and  brain, 
And  the  Northman's  courage  for  blessing  or  bane, 
Are  England's  heroes  too."  2 

When  Tennyson  sang  his  greeting  at  the  coming  of 
Alexandra, 

"  Saxon  or  Dane  or  Norman  we, 
Teuton  or  Celt  or  whatever  we  be," 

he  was  only  recognising  a  truth  which  no  boast  of  pure 
birth  can  cover — the  truth  that  the  modern  Englishman 
is  a  compound  of  many  races,  with  many  characteris- 
tics ;  and  if  we  would  understand  him,  we  must  seek 
the  clue  to  the  riddle  in  early  England  and  Scotland 
and  Ireland  and  Wales,  while  even  France  adds  her 

1  W.  W.  Campbell.  «  Ibid, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
share  of  enlightenment   towards  the  solution  of  the 
riddle. 

"  The  Saxon  force,  the  Celtic  fire, 
These  are  thy  manhood's  heritage."  l 

Britain,  as  far  as  we  can  trace  men  in  our  island 
was  first  inhabited  by  cave-men,  who  have  left  no 
history  at  all.  In  the  course  of  ages  they  passed  away 
before  the  Iberians  or  Ivernians,  who  came  from  the 
east,  and  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  Basques. 
It  may  be  that  some  Mongolian  tribe,  wandering  west, 
drawn  by  the  instinct  which  has  driven  most  race- 
migrations  westward,  sent  offshoots  north  and  south — 
one  to  brave  the  dangers  of  the  sea  and  inhabit  Britain 
and  Ireland,  one  to  cross  the  Pyrenees  and  remain 
sheltered  in  their  deep  ravines  ;  or  it  may  be  that 
Basques  from  the  Pyrenees,  daring  the  storms  of  the 
Bay  of  Biscay  in  their  frail  coracles,  ventured  to  the 
shores  of  Britain.  Short  and  dark  were  these  sturdy 
voyagers,  harsh-featured  and  long-headed,  worshipping 
the  powers  of  Nature  with  mysterious  and  cruel  rites  of 
human  sacrifice,  holding  beliefs  in  totems  and  ancestor- 
worship  and  in  the  superiority  of  high  descent  claimed 
through  the  mother  to  that  claimed  through  the  father. 
When  the  stronger  and  more  civilised  Celt  came  he  drove 
before  him  these  little  dark  men,  he  enslaved  their  sur- 
vivors or  wedded  their  women,  and  in  his  turn  fell  into 
slavery  to  the  cruel  Druidic  religion  of  his  subjects.  To 
these  Iberians,  and  to  the  Celtic  dread  of  them,  we 
probably  owe  all  the  stories  of  dwarfs,  goblins,  elves, 
and  earth-gnomes  which  fill  our  fairy-tale  books  ;  and 
if  we  examine  carefully  the  descriptions  of  the  abodes 
of  these  beings  we  shall  find  them  not  inconsistent  with 
the  earth-dwellings,  caves,  circle  huts,  or  even  with  the 
burial  mounds,  of  the  Iberian  race. 
1  C.  Robcm. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  race  that  followed  the  Iberians,  and  drove  them 
out  or  subdued  them,  so  that  they  served  as  slaves  where 
they  had  once  ruled  as  lords,  was  the  proud  Aryan  Celtic 
race.  Of  different  tribes,  Gaels,  Brythons,  and  Belgae, 
they  were  all  one  in  spirit,  and  one  in  physical  feature. 

Tall,  blue-eyed,  with  fair  or  red  hair,  they  overpowered 
in  every  way  the  diminutive  Iberians,  and  their  tattooing, 
while  it  gave  them  a  name  which  has  often  been  mistaken 
for  a  national  designation  (Picts,  or  painted  men),  made 
them  dreadful  to  their  enemies  in  battle,  and  ferocious- 
looking  even  in  time  of  peace.  Their  civilisation  was 
of  a  much  higher  type  than  that  of  the  Iberians  ;  their 
weapons,  their  war-chariots,  their  mode  of  life  and  their 
treatment  of  women,  are  all  so  closely  similar  to  that  of 
the  Greeks  of  Homer  that  a  theory  has  been  advanced 
and  ably  defended,  that  the  Homeric  Greeks  were  really 
invading  Celts — Gaelic  or  Gaulish  tribes  from  the  north 
of  Europe.  If  it  indeed  be  so,  we  owe  to  the  Celts  a 
debt  of  imperishable  culture  and  civilisation.  To  them 
belongs  more  especially,  in  our  national  amalgam,  the 
passion  for  the  past,  the  ardent  patriotism,  the  longing 
for  spiritual  beauty,  which  raises  and  relieves  the  Saxon 
materialism. 

"Though  fallen  the  state  of  Erin  and  changed  the  Scottish  land, 
Though  small  the  power  of  Mona,  though  unwaked  Llewellyn's  band, 
Though  Ambrose  Merlin's  prophecies  are  held  as  idle  tales, 
Though  lona's  ruined  cloisters  are  swept  by  northern  gales, 
One  in  name  and  in  fame 
Are  the  sea-divided  Gaels. 

"  In  Northern  Spain  and  Italy  our  brethren  also  dwell, 
And  brave  are  the  traditions  of  their  fathers  that  they  tell ; 
The  Eagle  or  the  Crescent  in  the  dawn  of  history  pales 
Before  the  advancing  banners  of  the  great  Rome-conquering  Gael* : 
One  in  name  and  in  fame 
Are  the  sea-divided  Gaels."  * 

1  T.  Darcy  McGec. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
It  is  almost  impossible  to  overestimate  the  value  of 
the  Celtic  contribution  to  our  national  literature  and 
character  :  the  race  that  gave  us  Ossian,  and  Finn,  and 
Cuchulain,  that  sang  of  the  sorrowful  love  and  doom  of 
Deirdre,  that  told  of  the  pursuit  of  Diarmit  and  Grania, 
till  every  dolmen  and  cromlech  in  Ireland  was  associated 
with  these  lovers  ;  the  race  that  preserved  for  us 

"  That  grey  king  whose  name,  a  ghost, 
Streams  like  a  cloud,  man-shaped,  from  mountain-peak 
And  cleaves  to  cairn  and  cromlech  still,"  l 

the  King  Arthur  whose  Arthur's  Seat  overhangs  Edin- 
burgh, whose  presence  haunts  the  Lakes,  and  Wales, 
and  Cornwall,  and  the  forests  of  Brittany;  the  race  that 
held  up  for  us  the  image  of  the  Holy  Grail — that  race 
can  claim  no  small  share  in  the  moulding  of  the  modern 
Briton. 

The  Celt,  however,  had  his  day  of  supremacy  and 
passed  :  the  Roman  crushed  his  power  of  initiative 
and  made  him  helpless  and  dependent,  and  the  Teuton, 
whether  as  Saxon,  Angle,  Frisian,  or  Jute,  dwelt  in  his 
homes  and  ruled  as  slaves  the  former  owners  of  the 
land.  These  new-comers  were  not  physically  unlike 
the  Celts  whom  they  dispossessed.  Tall  and  fair,  grey 
eyed  and  sinewy,  the  Teuton  was  a  hardier,  more  sturdy 
warrior  than  the  Celt :  he  had  not  spent  centuries  of 
quiet  settlement  and  imitative  civilisation  under  the 
aegis  of  Imperial  Rome  :  he  had  not  learnt  to  love 
the  arts  of  peace  and  he  cultivated  none  but  those  of 
war  ;  he  was  by  choice  a  warrior  and  a  sailor,  a  wan- 
derer to  other  lands,  a  plougher  of  the  desolate  places 
of  the  "  vasty  deep,"  yet  withal  a  lover  of  home,  who 
trod  at  times,  with  bitter  longing  for  his  native  land,  the 
thorny  paths  of  exile.  To  him  physical  cowardice  was 

1  Tennyson, 
rrii 


INTRODUCTION 

the  unforgivable  sin,  next  to  treachery  to  his  lord  ;  for 
the  loyalty  of  thane  to  his  chieftain  was  a  very  deep 
and  abiding  reality  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  warrior,  and 
in  the  early  poems  of  our  English  race,  love  for  "  his 
dear  lord,  his  chieftain-friend,"  takes  the  place  of  that 
love  of  woman  which  other  races  felt  and  expressed.  A 
quiet  death-bed  was  the  worst  end  to  a  man's  life,  in  the 
Anglo-Saxon's  creed  ;  it  was  "  a  cow's  death,"  to  be 
shunned  by  every  means  in  a  man's  power  ;  while  a 
death  in  fight,  victor  or  vanquished,  was  a  worthy  finish 
to  a  warrior's  life.  There  was  no  fear  of  death  itself 
in  the  English  hero's  mind,  nor  of  Fate  ;  the  former 
was  the  inevitable, 

"  Seeing  that  Death,  a  necessary  end, 
Will  come  when  it  will  come,'* l 

and  the  latter  a  goddess  whose  decrees  must  needs 
be  obeyed  with  proud  submission,  but  not  with  meek 
acceptance.  Perhaps  there  was  little  of  spiritual  insight 
in  the  minds  of  these  Angles  and  Saxons,  little  love  of 
beauty,  little  care  for  the  amenities  of  life ;  but  they  had 
a  sturdy  loyalty,  an  uprightness,  a  brave  disregard  of 
death  in  the  cause  of  duty,  which  we  can  still  recognise 
in  modern  Englishmen.  To  the  Saxon  belong  the  tales 
where 

"The  warrior  kings, 

In  height  and  prowess  more  than  human,  strive 
Again  for  glory,  while  the  golden  lyre 
Is  ever  sounding  in  heroic  ears 
Heroic  hymns."  a 

When  the  English  (Anglo-Saxons,  as  we  generally  call 
them)  had  settled  down  in  England,  had  united  their 
warring  tribes,  and  developed  a  somewhat  centralised 

1  Shakespeare,  Julius  Ceesar.  a  Tennyson. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
government,  their  whole  national  existence  was  im- 
perilled by  the  incursions  of  the  Danes.  Kindred  folk 
to  the  Anglo-Saxons  were  these  Danes,  these  Vikings 
from  Christiania  Wik,  these  Northmen  from  Norway 
or  Iceland,  whose  fame  went  before  them,  and  the  dread 
of  whom  inspired  the  petition  in  the  old  Litany  of  the 
Church,  "From  the  fury  of  the  Northmen,  good 
Lord,  deliver  us  !  "  Their  fair  hair  and  blue  or  grey 
eyes,  their  tall  and  muscular  frames,  bore  testimony  to 
their  kinship  with  the  races  they  harried  and  plundered, 
but  their  spirit  was  different  from  that  of  the  conquered 
Teutonic  tribes.  The  Viking  loved  the  sea  ;  it  was  his 
summer  home,  his  field  of  war  and  profit.  To  go  "  a- 
summer-harrying "  was  the  usual  employment  of  the 
true  Viking,  and  in  the  winter  only  could  he  enjoy 
domestic  life  and  the  pleasures  of  the  family  circle. 
The  rapturous  fight  with  the  elements,  in  which  the 
Northman  lived  and  moved  and  had  his  being,  gave  him 
a  strain  of  ruthless  cruelty  unlike  anything  in  the  more 
peaceful  Anglo-Saxon  character  :  his  disregard  of  death 
for  himself  led  to  a  certain  callousness  with  regard  to 
human  life,  and  to  a  certain  enjoyment  in  inflicting 
physical  anguish.  There  was  an  element  of  Red  Indian 
ruthlessness  in  the  Viking,  which  looms  large  in  the 
story  of  the  years  of  Norse  ascendancy  over  Western 
Europe.  Yet  there  was  also  a  power  of  bold  and 
daring  action,  of  reckless  valour,  of  rapid  conception 
and  execution,  which  contrasted  strongly  with  the 
slower  and  more  placid  temperament  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon,  and  to  this  Danish  strain  modern  Englishmen 
probably  owe  the  power  of  initiative,  the  love  of  adven- 
ture, and  the  daring  action  which  have  made  Eng- 
land the  greatest  colonising  nation  on  the  earth.  The 
Danish,  Norse,  or  Viking  element  spread  far  and  wide 
in  mediaeval  Europe — Iceland,  Normandy  (Northman's 


INTRODUCTION 

Land),  the  Isle  of  Man,  the  Hebrides,  the  east  ot 
Ireland,  the  Danelagh  of  East  Anglia,  and  the  Cumber- 
land dales  all  show  traces  of  the  conquering  Danish 
race  ;  and  raider  after  raider  came  to  England  and 
stayed,  until  half  of  our  island  was  Danish,  and  even 
our  royal  family  became  for  a  time  one  with  the  royal 
line  of  Denmark.  The  acceptance  of  Christianity  by 
the  Danes  in  England  when  Guthrum  was  baptized 
rendered  much  more  easy  their  amalgamation  with  the 
English  ;  but  it  was  not  so  in  Ireland,  where  the  Round 
Towers  still  stand  to  show  (as  some  authorities  hold) 
how  the  terrified  native  Irish  sheltered  from  the  Danish 
fury  which  nearly  destroyed  the  whole  fabric  of  Irish 
Christianity.  The  legends  of  Ireland,  too,  are  full  of 
the  terror  of  the  men  of  "  Lochlann,"  which  is  gene- 
rally taken  to  mean  Norway  ;  and  the  great  coast  cities 
of  Ireland — Dublin,  Cork,  Waterford,  Wexford,  and 
others — were  so  entirely  Danish  that  only  the  decisive 
battle  of  Clontarf,  in  which  the  saintly  and  victorious 
Brian  Boru  was  slain,  saved  Ireland  to  Christendom 
and  curbed  the  power  of  the  heathen  invaders. 

A  second  wave  of  Norse  invasion  swept  orer  Eng- 
land at  the  Norman  Conquest,  and  for  a  time  submerged 
the  native  English  population.  The  chivalrous  Norman 
knights  who  followed  William  of  Normandy's  sacred 
banner,  whether  from  religious  zeal  or  desire  of  plunder, 
were  as  truly  Vikings  by  race  as  were  the  Danes  who 
settled  in  the  Danelagh.  The  days  when  Rolf  (Rollo, 
or  Rou),  the  Viking  chief,  won  Normandy  were  not  yet 
so  long  gone  by  that  the  fierce  piratical  instincts  of  his 
followers  had  ceased  to  influence  their  descendants  : 
piety  and  learning,  feudal  law  and  custom,  had  made 
some  impression  upon  the  character  of  the  Norman,  but 
at  heart  he  was  still  a  Northman.  The  Norman  barons 
fought  for  their  independence  against  Duke  William 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

with  all  the  determination  of  those  Norse  chiefs  who 
would  not  acknowledge  the  overlordship  of  Harold 
Fairhair,  but  fled  to  colonise  Iceland  when  he  made 
himself  King  of  Norway.  The  seafaring  instincts  which 
drove  the  Vikings  to  harry  other  lands  in  like  manner 
drove  the  Normans  to  piratical  plundering  up  and  dowr 
the  English  Channel,  and,  when  they  had  settled  in 
England,  led  to  continual  sea-fights  in  the  Channel 
between  English  and  French,  hardy  Kentish  and  Nor- 
man, or  Cornish  and  Breton,  sailors,  with  a  common 
strain  of  fighting  blood,  and  a  common  love  of  the  sea. 
The  Norman  Conquest  of  England  was  but  one 
instance  of  Norman  activity  :  Sicily,  Italy,  Constanti- 
nople, even  Antioch,  and  the  Holy  Land  itself,  showed  in 
time  Norman  states,  Norman  laws,  Norman  civilisation, 
and  all  alike  felt  the  impulse  of  Norman  energy  and  in- 
spiration. England  lay  ready  to  hand  for  Norman  inva- 
sion— the  hope  of  peaceable  succession  to  the  saintly 
Edward  the  Confessor  had  to  be  abandoned  by  William ; 
the  gradual  permeation  of  sluggish  England  with  Norman 
earls,  churchmen,  courtiers,  had  been  comprehended 
and  checked  by  Earl  Godwin  and  his  sons  (themselves 
of  Danish  race)  ;  but  there  still  remained  the  way  or 
open  war  and  an  appeal  to  religious  zeal ;  and  this  way 
William  took.  There  was  genius  as  well  as  statesman- 
ship in  the  idea  of  combining  a  personal  claim  to  the 
throne  held  by  Harold  the  usurper  with  a  crusading 
summons  against  the  schismatic  and  heretical  English, 
who  refused  obedience  to  the  true  successor  of  St.  Peter. 
The  success  of  the  idea  was  its  justification  :  the  success 
of  the  expedition  proved  the  need  that  England  had 
of  some  new  leaven  to  energise  the  sluggish  tempera- 
ment of  her  sons.  The  Norman  Conquest  not  only 
revived  and  quickened,  but  unified  and  solidified  the 
English  nation.  The  tyranny  of  the  Norman  nobles, 


INTRODUCTION 

held  in  check  at  first  only  by  the  tyranny  of  the 
Norman  king,  was  the  factor  in  mediaeval  English  life 
that  made  for  a  national  consciousness  ;  it  also  helped 
the  appreciation  of  the  heroism  of  revolt  against  tyranny 
which  is  seen  in  Hereward  the  Wake,  in  Robin  Hood, 
in  William  of  Cloudeslee,  and  in  many  other  English 
hero-rebels  ;  but  it  gradually  led  men  to  a  realization  of 
their  own  rights  as  Englishmen.  When  all  men  alike 
felt  themselves  sons  of  England,  the  days  were  past 
when  Norman  and  Saxon  were  aliens  to  each  other, 
and  Norman  robber  soon  became  as  truly  English  as 
Danish  viking,  Anglo-Saxon  seafarer,  or  Celtic  settler. 
Then  the  full  value  of  the  Norman  infusion  was  seen  in 
quicker  intellectual  apprehension,  nimbler  wit,  a  keener 
sense  of  reverence,  a  more  spiritual  piety,  a  more  refined 
courtesy,  and  a  more  enlightened  perception  of  the  value 
of  law.  The  materialism  of  the  original  Saxon  race  was 
successively  modified  by  many  influences,  and  not  least 
of  these  was  the  Norman  Conquest. 

From  the  Norman  Conquest  onward  England  has 
welcomed  men  of  many  nations — French,  Flemings, 
Germans,  Dutch  :  men  brought  by  war,  by  trade,  by 
love  of  adventure,  by  religion  ;  traders,  refugees,  exiles, 
all  have  found  in  her  a  hospitable  shelter  and  a  second 
home,  and  all  have  come  to  love  the  "grey  old 
mother"  that  counted  them  among  her  sons  and  grew 
to  think  them  her  own  in  very  truth. 

Geographically,  also,  we  must  recognise  the  admixture 
of  races  in  our  islands.  The  farthest  western  borders 
show  most  strongly  the  type  of  man  whom  we  can 
imagine  the  Iberian  to  have  been  :  Western  Ireland,  the 
Hebrides,  Central  and  South  Wales,  and  Cornwall  are 
still  inhabited  by  folk  of  Iberian  descent.  The  blue- 
eyed  Celt  yet  dwells  in  the  Highlands  and  the  greater 
part  of  Wales  and  the  Marches — Hereford  and  Shrop- 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

shire,  and  as  far  as  Worcestershire  and  Cheshire  ;  still 
the  Dales  of  Cumberland,  the  Fen  Country,  East  Anglia, 
and  the  Isle  of  Man  show  traces  of  Danish  blood,  speech, 
manners,  and  customs  ;  still  the  slow,  stolid  Saxon  in- 
habits the  lands  south  of  the  Thames  from  Sussex  to 
Hampshire  and  Dorset.  The  Angle  has  settled  perma- 
nently over  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  with  the  Celt 
along  the  western  fringe,  and  Flemish  blood  shows  its 
traces  in  Pembroke  on  the  one  side  ("  Little  England 
beyond  Wales  ")  and  in  Norfolk  on  the  other. 

With  all  these  nations,  all  these  natures,  amalgamated 
in  our  own,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  literature  of  our 
isles  contains  many  different  ideals  of  heroism,  changing 
according  to  nationality  and  epoch.  Thus  the  physical 
valour  of  Beowulf  is  not  the  same  quality  as  the  valour 
of  Havelok  the  Dane,  though  both  are  heroes  of  the 
strong  arm  ;  and  the  chivalry  of  Diarmit  is  not  the  same 
as  the  chivalry  of  Roland.  Again,  religion  has  its  share 
in  changing  the  ideals  of  a  nation,  and  Constantine, 
the  warrior  of  the  Early  English  poem  of  "  Elene,"  is 
far  from  being  the  same  in  character  as  the  tender- 
hearted Constantine  of  "moral  Gower's "  apocryphal 
tale.  The  law-abiding  nature  of  the  earliest  heroes, 
whose  obedience  to  their  king  and  their  priest  was 
absolute,  differs  almost  entirely  from  the  lawlessness  of 
Gamelyn  and  Robin  Hood,  both  of  whom  set  church 
and  king  at  defiance,  and  even  account  it  a  merit  to 
revolt  from  the  rule  of  both.  It  follows  from  this  that 
we  shall  find  our  chosen  heroes  of  very  different  types 
and  characters  ;  but  we  shall  recognise  that  each  repre- 
sented to  his  own  age  an  ideal  of  heroism,  which  that 
age  loved  sufficiently  to  put  into  literature,  and  per- 
petuate by  the  best  means  in  its  power.  Of  many 
another  hero  besides  Arthur — of  Barbarossa,  of  Hia- 
watha, even  of  Napoleon — has  the  tradition  grown  that 


INTRODUCTION 

he  is  not  dead,  but  has  passed  away  into  the  deathless 
land,  whence  he  shall  come  again  in  his  own  time.  As 
Tennyson  has  sung, 

"  Great  bards  of  him  will  sing 
Hereafter  ;  and  dark  sayings  from  of  old 
Ranging  and  ringing  through  the  minds  of  men, 
And  echoed  by  old  folk  beside  their  fires 
For  comfort  after  their  wage-work  is  done. 
Speak  of  the  King." 


CHAPTER  I :  BEOWULF 

Introduction 

THE  figure  which  meets  us  as  we  enter  on  the 
study  of  Heroes  of  the  British  Race  is  one 
which  appeals  to  us  in  a  very  special  way,  since 
he  is  the  one  hero  in  whose  legend  we  may  see  the  ideals 
of  our  English  forefathers  before  they  left  their  Con- 
tinental home  to  settle  in  this  island.  Opinions  may 
differ  as  to  the  date  at  which  the  poem  of  "Beowulf" 
was  written,  the  place  in  which  it  was  localised,  and  the 
religion  of  the  poet  who  combined  the  floating  legends 
into  one  epic  whole,  but  all  must  accept  the  poem  as 
embodying  the  life  and  feelings  of  our  Forefathers  who 
dwelt  in  North  Germany  on  the  shores  of  the  North 
Sea  and  of  the  Baltic.  The  life  depicted,  the  characters 
portrayed,  the  events  described,  are  such  as  a  simple 
warrior  race  would  cherish  in  tradition  and  legend  as 
relics  of  the  life  lived  by  their  ancestors  in  what  doubt- 
less seemed  to  them  the  Golden  Age.  Perhaps  stories 
of  a  divine  Bcowa,  hero  and  ancestor  of  the  English, 
became  merged  in  other  myths  of  sun-hero  and  marsh- 
demon,  but  in  any  case  the  stories  are  now  crystallized 
around  one  central  human  figure,  who  may  even  be 
considered  an  historical  hero,  Beowulf,  the  thane  of 
Hygelac,  King  of  the  Geats.  It  is  this  grand  primitive 
hero  who  embodies  the  ideal  of  English  heroism.  Bold 
to  rashness  for  himself,  prudent  for  his  comrades, 
daring,  resourceful,  knowing  no  fear,  loyal  to  his  king 
and  his  kinsmen,  generous  in  war  and  in  peace,  self- 
sacrificing,  Beowulf  stands  for  all  that  is  best  in  man- 
hood in  an  age  of  strife.  It  is  fitting  that  our  first 
British  hero  should  be  physically  and  mentally  strong, 
brave  to  seek  danger  and  brave  to  look  on  death  and 
Fate  undaunted,  one  whose  life  is  a  struggle  against  evil 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

forces,  and  whose  death  comes  in  a  glorious  victory 
over  the  powers  of  evil,  a  victory  gained  for  the  sake  of 
others  to  whom  Beowulf  feels  that  he  owes  protection 
and  devotion. 

The  Story.    The  Coming  and  Passing  of  Scyld 

Once,  long  ago,  the  Danish  land  owned  the  sway  of 
a  mighty  monarch,  Scyld  Scefing,  the  founder  of  a  great 
dynasty,  the  Scyldings.  This  great  king  Scyld  had 
come  to  Denmark  in  a  mysterious  manner,  since  no 
man  knew  whence  he  sprang.  As  a  babe  he  drifted 
to  the  Danish  shore  in  a  vessel  loaded  with  treasures  ; 
but  no  man  was  with  him,  and  there  was  no  token  to 
show  his  kindred  and  race.  When  Scyld  grew  up 
he  increased  the  power  of  Denmark  and  enlarged  her 
borders  ;  his  fame  spread  far  and  wide  among  men,  and 
his  glory  shone  undimmed  until  the  day  when,  full  of 
years  and  honours,  he  died,  leaving  the  throne  securely 
established  in  his  family.  Then  the  sorrowing  Danes 
restored  him  to  the  mysterious  ocean  from  which  he 
had  come  to  them.  Choosing  their  goodliest  ship,  they 
laid  within  it  the  corpse  of  their  departed  king,  and 
heaped  around  him  all  their  best  and  choicest  treasures, 
until  the  venerable  countenance  of  Scyld  looked  to 
heaven  from  a  bed  of  gold  and  jewels  ;  then  they  set 
up,  high  above  his  head,  his  glorious  gold-wrought 
banner,  and  left  him  alone  in  state.  The  vessel  was 
loosed  from  the  shore  where  the  mourning  Danes 
bewailed  their  departing  king,  and  drifted  slowly  away 
to  the  unknown  west  from  which  Scyld  had  sailed  to 
his  now  sorrowing  people  ;  they  watched  until  it  was 
lost  in  the  shadows  of  night  and  distance,  but  no  man 
under  heaven  knoweth  what  shore  now  holds  the 
vanished  Scyld.  The  descendants  of  Scyld  ruled  and 
prospered  till  the  days  of  his  great-grandson  Hrothgar, 


GRENDEL 

one   of  a   family   of  four,  who  can  all  be  identified 
historically  with  various  Danish  kings  and  princes. 

Hrothgar's  Hall 

Hrothgar  was  a  mighty  warrior  and  conqueror,  who 
won  glory  in  battle,  and  whose  fame  spread  wide 
among  men,  so  that  nobly  born  warriors,  his  kinsmen, 
were  glad  to  serve  as  his  bodyguard  and  to  fight  for 
him  loyally  in  strife.  So  great  was  Hrothgar's  power 
that  he  longed  for  some  outward  sign  of  the  magnifi- 
cence of  his  sway  ;  he  determined  to  build  a  great  hall, 
in  which  he  could  hold  feasts  and  banquets,  and  could 
entertain  his  warriors  and  thanes,  and  visitors  from  afar. 
The  hall  rose  speedily,  vast,  gloriously  adorned,  a  great 
meeting-place  for  men;  for  Hrothgar  had  summoned 
all  his  people  to  the  work,  and  the  walls  towered  up 
high  and  majestic,  ending  in  pinnacles  and  gables 
resembling  the  antlers  of  a  stag.  At  the  great  feast 
which  Hrothgar  gave  first  in  his  new  home  the  min- 
strels chanted  the  glory  of  the  hall,  "  Heorot,"  "  The 
Hart,"  as  the  king  named  it ;  Hrothgar's  desire  was  well 
fulfilled,  that  he  should  build  the  most  magnificent  or 
banquet-halls.  Proud  were  the  mighty  warriors  who 
feasted  within  it,  and  proud  the  heart  of  the  king,  who 
from  his  high  seat  on  the  da'is  saw  his  brave  thanes 
carousing  at  the  long  tables  below  him,  and  the  lofty 
rafters  of  the  hall  rising  black  into  the  darkness. 

Grendel 

Day  by  day  the  feasting  continued,  until  its  noise 
and  the  festal  joy  of  its  revellers  aroused  a  mighty 
enemy,  Grendel,  the  loathsome  fen-monster.  This 
monstrous  being,  half-man,  half-fiend,  dwelt  in  the 
fens  near  the  hill  on  which  Heorot  stood.  Terrible  was 
he,  dangerous  to  men,  of  extraordinary  strength)  human 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

01  shape  but  gigantic  of  stature,  covered  with  a  green 
horny  skin,  on  which  the  sword  would  not  bite.  His 
race,  all  sea-monsters,  giants,  goblins,  and  evil  demons, 
were  offspring  of  Cain,  outcasts  from  the  mercy  of  the 
Most  High,  hostile  to  the  human  race  ;  and  Grendel 
was  one  of  mankind's  most  bitter  enemies  ;  hence  his 
natred  of  the  joyous  shouts  from  Heorot,  and  his  deter- 
mination to  stop  the  feasting. 

"  Thil  the  dire  mighty  fiend,      he  who  in  darkness  dwelt, 
Suffered  with  hatred  fierce,      that  every  day  and  night 
He  heard  the  festal  ihouts      loud  in  the  lofty  hall ; 
Sound  of  harp  echoed  there,      and  gleeman's  sweet  song. 
Thus  they  lived  joyously,      fearing  no  angry  foe 
Until  the  hellish  fiend      wrought  them  great  woe. 
Grendel  that  ghost  was  called,      grisly  and  terrible, 
Who,  hateful  wanderer,      dwelt  in  the  moorlands, 
The  fens  and  wild  fastnesses  ;      the  wretch  for  a  while  abode 
In  homes  of  the  giant-race,      since  God  had  cast  him  out. 
When  night  on  the  earth  fell,       Grendel  departed 
To  visit  the  lofty  hall,     now  that  the  warlike  Danes 
After  the  gladsome  feast      nightly  slept  in  it. 
A  fair  troop  of  warrior-thanes      guarding  it  found  he  ; 
Heedlessly  sleeping,       they  recked  not  of  sorrow. 
The  demon  of  evil,      the  grim  wight  unholy, 
With  his  fierce  ravening,      greedily  grasped  them, 
Seized  in  their  slumbering      thirty  right  manly  thanes ; 
Thence  he  withdrew  again,      proud  of  his  lifeless  prey, 
Home  to  his  hiding-place,      bearing  his  booty, 
In  peace  to  devour  it." 

When  dawn  broke,  and  the  Danes  from  their  dwell- 
ings around  the  hall  entered  Hcorot,  great  was  the 
lamentation,  and  dire  the  dismay,  for  thirty  noble 
champions  had  vanished,  and  the  blood-stained  tracks 
of  the  monster  showed  but  too  well  the  fate  that  had 
overtaken  them.  Hrothgar's  grief  was  profound,  for 
he  had  lost  thirty  of  his  dearly  loved  bodyguard,  and 
he  himself  was  too  old  to  wage  a  conflict  against  the 
foe — a  foe  who  repeated  night  by  night  his  awful  deeds, 
4 


The  demon  of  evil,  with  his  fierce  ravening,  greedily 

grasped  them  "  4 


BEOWULF 

in  spite  ot  all  that  valour  could  do  to  save  the  Danes 
from  his  terrible  enmity.  At  last  no  champion  would 
face  the  monster,  and  the  Danes,  in  despair,  deserted 
the  glorious  hall  of  which  they  had  been  so  proud. 
Useless  stood  the  best  of  dwellings,  for  none  dared 
remain  in  it,  but  every  evening  the  Danes  left  it  after 
their  feast,  and  slept  elsewhere.  This  affliction  endured 
for  twelve  years,  and  all  that  time  the  beautiful  hall  of 
Heorot  stood  empty  when  darkness  was  upon  it.  By 
night  the  dire  fiend  visited  it  in  search  of  prey,  and 
in  the  morning  his  footsteps  showed  that  his  deadly 
enmity  was  not  yet  appeased,  but  that  any  effort  to  use 
the  hall  at  night  would  bring  down  his  fatal  wrath  on 
the  careless  sleepers. 

Far  and  wide  spread  the  tidings  of  this  terrible 
oppression,  and  many  champions  came  from  afar  to 
offer  King  Hrothgar  their  aid,  but  none  was  heroic 
enough  to  conquer  the  monster,  and  many  a  mighty 
warrior  lost  his  life  in  a  vain  struggle  against  Grendel. 
At  length  even  these  bold  adventurers  ceased  to  come ; 
Grendel  remained  master  of  Heorot,  and  the  Danes 
settled  down  in  misery  under  the  bondage  of  a  per- 
petual nightly  terror,  while  Hrothgar  grew  old  in  help- 
less longing  for  strength  to  rescue  his  people  from 
their  foe. 

Beowulf 

Meanwhile  there  had  come  to  manhood  and  full 
strength  a  hero  destined  to  make  his  name  famous  for 
mighty  deeds  of  valour  throughout  the  whole  of  the 
Teutonic  North.  In  the  realm  of  the  Geats  (Gotaland, 
in  the  south  of  Sweden)  ruled  King  Hygelac,  a  mighty 
ruler  who  was  ambitious  enough  to  aim  at  conquering 
his  neighbours  on  the  mainland  of  Germany.  His 
only  sister^  daughter  of  the  dead  king  Hrethel,  had 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

married  a  great  noble,  Ecgtheow,  and  they  had  one  son, 
Beowulf,  who  from  the  age  of  seven  was  brought  up 
at  the  Geatish  court.  The  boy  was  a  lad  of  great 
stature  and  handsome  appearance,  with  fair  locks  and 
gallant  bearing  ;  but  he  greatly  disappointed  his  grand- 
father, King  Hrethel,  by  his  sluggish  character.  Beowult 
as  a  youth  had  been  despised  by  all  for  his  sloth  and 
his  unwarlike  disposition  ;  his  good-nature  and  his 
rarely  stirred  wrath  made  others  look  upon  him  with 
scorn,  and  the  mighty  stature  to  which  he  grew  brought 
him  nothing  but  scoffs  and  sneers  and  insults  in  the 
banquet-hall  when  the  royal  feasts  were  held.  Yet 
wise  men  might  have  seen  the  promise  of  great  strength 
in  his  powerful  sinews  and  his  mighty  hands,  and  the 
signs  of  great  force  of  character  in  the  glance  of  his 
clear  blue  eyes  and  the  fierceness  of  his  anger  when  he 
was  once  aroused.  At  least  once  already  Beowulf  had 
distinguished  himself  in  a  great  feat — a  swimming- 
match  with  a  famous  champion,  Breca,  who  had  been 
beaten  in  the  contest.  For  this  and  other  victories,  and 
for  the  bodily  strength  which  gave  Beowulf's  hand- 
grip the  force  of  thirty  men,  the  hero  was  already 
famed  when  the  news  of  Grendel's  ravages  reached 
Geatland.  Beowulf,  eager  to  try  his  strength  against 
the  monster,  and  burning  to  add  to  his  fame,  asked 
and  obtained  permission  from  his  uncle,  King  Hygelac, 
to  seek  the  stricken  Danish  king  and  offer  his  help 
against  Grendel  ;  then,  choosing  fourteen  loyal  com- 
rades and  kinsfolk,  he  took  a  cheerful  farewell  of  the 
Geatish  royal  family  and  sailed  for  Denmark. 

Thus  it  happened  that  one  day  the  Warden  of  the 
Coast,  riding  on  his  round  along  the  Danish  shores, 
saw  from  the  white  cliffs  a  strange  war-vessel  running 
in  to  shore.  Her  banners  were  unknown  to  him,  her 
crew  were  strangers  and  all  in  war-array,  and  as  the 


BECWULF 

Warden  watched  them  they  ran  the  ship  into  a  small 
creek  among  the  mountainous  cliffs,  made  her  fast  to  a 
rock  with  stout  cables,  and  then  landed  and  put  them- 
selves in  readiness  for  a  march.  Though  there  were 
fifteen  of  the  strangers  and  the  Warden  was  alone,  he 
showed  no  hesitation,  but,  riding  boldly  down  into 
their  midst,  loudly  demanded  : 

"  What  are  ye  warlike  men      wielding  bright  weapons, 
Wearing  grey  corslets      and  boar-adorned  helmets, 
Who  o'er  the  water-paths      come  with  your  foaming  keel 
Ploughing  the  ocean  surge  ?       I  was  appointed 
Warden  of  Denmark's  shores  ;      watch  hold  I  by  the  wave 
That  on  this  Danish  coast      no  deadly  enemy 
Leading  troops  over  sea      should  land  to  injure. 
None  have  here  landed  yet      more  frankly  coming 
Than  this  fair  company :       and  yet  ye  answer  not 
The  password  of  warriors,      and  customs  of  kinsmen. 
Ne'er  have  mine  eyes  beheld       a  mightier  warrior, 
An  earl  more  lordly,  than       is  he,  the  chief  of  you  ; 
He  is  no  common  man  ;      if  looks  belie  him  not, 
He  is  a  hero  bold,      worthily  weaponed. 
Anon  must  I  know  of  you       kindred  and  country, 
Lest  ye  as  spies  should  go       free  on  our  Danish  soil. 
Now  ye  men  from  afar,      sailing  the  surging  sea, 
Have  heard  my  earnest  thought :      best  is  a  quick  reply, 
That  I  may  swiftly  know      whence  ye  have  hither  come.** 

So  the  aged  Warden  sat  on  his  horse,  gazing  atten- 
tively on  the  faces  of  the  fifteen  strangers,  but  watching 
most  carefully  the  countenance  of  the  leader  ;  for  the 
mighty  stature,  the  clear  glance  of  command,  the  goodly 
armour,  and  the  lordly  air  of  Beowulf  left  no  doubt  as 
to  who  was  the  chieftain  of  that  little  band.  When  the 
questions  had  been  asked  the  leader  of  the  new-comers 
moved  forward  till  his  mighty  figure  stood  beside  the 
Warden's  horse,  and  as  he  gazed  up  into  the  old  man's 
eyes  he  answered  :  "*We  are  warriors  of  the  Geats, 
members  of  King  Hygelac's  bodyguard.  My  father,  well 

7 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

known  among  men  of  wisdom,  was  named  Ecgtheow, 
a  wise  counsellor  who  died  full  of  years  and  famous  for 
his  wisdom,  leaving  a  memory  dear  to  all  good  men." 

"  We  come  to  seek  thy  king      Healfdene's  glorious  son, 
Thy  nation's  noble  lord,       with  friendly  mind. 
Be  thou  a  guardian  good      to  us  strangers  here  ! 
We  have  an  errand  grave      to  the  great  Danish  king, 
Nor  will  I  hidden  hold       what  I  intend  ! 
Thou  canst  tell  if  it  is       truth  (as  we  lately  heard) 
That  some  dire  enemy,      deadly  in  evil  deed, 
Cometh  in  dark  of  night,       sateth  his  secret  hate, 
Worketh  through  fearsome  awe,      slaughter  and  shame. 
I  can  give  Hrothgar  bold      counsel  to  conquer  him, 
How  he  with  valiant  mind       Grendel  may  vanquish, 
If  he  would  ever  lose      torment  of  burning  care, 
If  bliss  shall  bloom  again      and  woe  shall  vanish." 

The  aged  Warden  replied  :  "  Every  bold  warrior  of 
noble  mind  must  recognise  the  distinction  between 
words  and  deeds.  I  judge  by  thy  speech  that  you 
are  all  friends  to  our  Danish  king  ;  therefore  I  bid  you 
go  forward,  in  warlike  array,  and  I  myself  will  guide 
you  to  King  Hrothgar  ;  I  will  also  bid  my  men  draw 

Cr  vessel  up  the  beach,  and  make  her  fast  with  a 
icade  of  oars  against  any  high  tide.     Safe  she  shall 
be  until  again  she  bears  you  to  your  own  land.     May 
your  expedition  prove  successful." 

Thus  speaking,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  and  led 
the  way  up  the  steep  cliff  paths,  while  the  Geats  fol- 
lowed him,  resplendent  in  shining  armour,  with  boar- 
crests  on  their  helmets,  shields  and  spears  in  their 
hands,  and  mighty  swords  hanging  in  their  belts  :  a 
goodly  band  were  they,  as  they  strode  boldly  after  the 
Warden.  Anon  there  appeared  a  roughly  trodden  path, 
which  soon  became  a  stone-paved  road,  and  the  way 
led  on  to  where  the  great  hall,  Heorot,  towered  aloft, 
gleaming  white  in  the  sun  ;  very  glorious  it  seemed, 


HROTHGAR  AND  BEOWULF 

with  its  pinnacled  gables  and  its  carved  beams  and 
rafters,  and  the  Geats  gazed  at  it  with  admiration 
as  the  Warden  of  the  Coast  said  :  "  Yonder  stands  our 
monarch's  hall,  and  your  way  lies  clear  before  you. 
May  the  All-Father  keep  you  safe  in  the  conflict ! 
Now  it  is  time  for  me  to  return ;  I  go  to  guard  our 
shores  from  every  foe." 

Hrothgar  and  Beowulf 

The  little  band  of  Geats,  in  their  shining  war-gear, 
strode  along  the  stone-paved  street,  their  ring-mail 
sounding  as  they  went,  until  they  reached  the  door  01 
Heorot ;  and  there,  setting  down  their  broad  shields 
and  their  keen  spears  against  the  wall,  they  prepared 
to  enter  as  peaceful  guests  the  great  hall  of  King 
Hrothgar.  Wulfgar,  one  of  Hrothgar's  nobles,  met 
them  at  the  door  and  asked  whence  such  a  splendid  band 
of  warlike  strangers,  so  well  armed  and  so  worthily 
equipped,  had  come.  Their  heroic  bearing  betokened 
some  noble  enterprise.  Beowulf  answered  :  "  We  are 
Hygelac's  chosen  friends  and  companions,  and  I  am 
Beowulf.  To  King  Hrothgar,  thy  master,  will  I  tell 
mine  errand,  if  the  son  of  Healfdene  will  allow  us  to 
approach  him." 

Wulfgar,  impressed  by  the  words  and  bearing  of  the 
hero,  replied  :  "  I  will  announce  thy  coming  to  my  lord, 
and  bring  back  his  answer "  ;  and  then  made  his  way 
up  the  hall  to  the  high  seat  where  Hrothgar  sat  on 
the  da'fs  amidst  his  bodyguard  of  .picked  champions. 
Bowing  respectfully,  he  said  : 

"  Here  are  come  travelling      over  the  sea-expanse, 
Journeying  from  afar,     heroes  of  Geatland. 
Beowulf  is  the  name     of  their  chief  warrior. 
This-is  their  prayer,  my  lord,      that  they  may  speak  with  thee  ; 
Do  not  thou  give  them      a  hasty  refusal  ! 

9 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Do  not  deny  them       the  gladness  of  converse ! 
They  in  their  war-gear  seem      worthy  of  men's  respect. 
Noble  their  chieftain  seems,      he  who  the  warriors 
Hither  has  guided." 

At  these  words  the  aged  king  aroused  himself  from 
the  sad  reverie  into  which  he  had  fallen  and  answered : 
"  I  knew  him  as  a  boy.  Beowulf  is  the  son  of  Ecg- 
theow,  who  wedded  the  daughter  of  the  Geat  King 
Hrethel.  His  fame  has  come  hither  before  him  ;  sea- 
farers have  told  me  that  he  has  the  might  of  thirty 
men  in  his  hand-grip.  Great  joy  it  is  to  know  of  his 
coming,  for  he  may  save  us  from  the  terror  of  Grendel. 
If  he  succeeds  in  this,  great  treasures  will  I  bestow 
upon  him.  Hasten  ;  bring  in  hither  Beowulf  and  his 
kindred  thanes,  and  bid  them  welcome  to  the  Danish 
folk  ! " 

Wulfgar  hurried  down  the  hall  to  the  place  where 
Beowulf  stood  with  his  little  band  ;  he  led  them  gladly 
to  the  high  seat,  so  that  they  stood  opposite  to  Hroth- 
gar,  who  looked  keenly  at  the  well-equipped  troop, 
and  kindly  at  its  leader.  A  striking  figure  was  Beo- 
wulf as  he  stood  there  in  his  gleaming  ring-mail,  with 
the  mighty  sword  by  his  side.  It  was,  however,  but 
a  minute  that  Hrothgar  looked  in  silence,  for  with 
respectful  greeting  Beowulf  spoke  : 

"  Hail  to  thee,  Hrothgar  King  !      Beowulf  am  I, 
Hygelac's  kinsman       and  loyal  companion. 
Great  deeds  of  valour      wrought  I  in  my  youth. 
To  me  in  my  native  land      Grendel's  ill-doing 
Came  as  an  oft-heard  tale       told  by  our  sailors. 
They  say  that  this  bright  hall,     noblest  of  buildings, 
Standeth  to  every  man      idle  and  useless 
After  the  evening-light       fails  in  the  heavens. 
Thus,  Hrothear,  ancient  king,      all  my  friends  urged  me, 
Warriors  and  prudent  thanes,      that  I  should  seek  thee, 
Since  they  themselves  had  known       my  might  in  battle. 


HROTHGAR  AND  BEOWULF 

Now  I  will  beg  of  thee,       lord  of  the  glorious  Danes, 

Prince  of  the  Scylding  race,       Folk-lord  most  friendly, 

Warden  of  warriors,      only  one  boon. 

Do  not  deny  it  me,      since  I  have  come  from  far; 

I  with  my  men  alone,      this  troop  of  heroes  good, 

Would  without  help  from  thee      cleanse  thy  great  hall  ! 

Oft  have  I  also  heard      that  the  fierce  monster 

Through  his  mad  recklessness      scorns  to  use  weapons  ; 

Therefore  will  I  forego      (so  may  King  Hygelac, 

My  friendly  lord  and  king,      find  in  me  pleasure) 

That  I  should  bear  my  sword      and  my  broad  yellow  shield 

Into  the  conflict :      with  my  hand-grip  alone 

I  'gainst  the  foe  will  strive,      and  struggle  for  my  life — 

He  shall  endure  God's  doom      whom  death  shall  bear  away. 

1  know  that  he  thinketh       in  this  hall  of  conflict 

Fearless  to  eat  me,     if  he  can  compass  it, 

As  he  has  oft  devoured       heroes  of  Denmark. 

Then  thou  wilt  not  need      my  head  to  hide  away, 

Grendel  will  have  me      all  mangled  and  gory  ; 

Away  will  he  carry,      if  death  then  shall  take  me, 

My  body  with  gore  stained       will  he  think  to  feast  on, 

On  his  lone  track  will  bear  it      and  joyously  eat  it, 

And  mark  with  my  life-blood      his  lair  in  the  moorland ; 

Nor  more  for  my  welfare       wilt  thou  need  to  care  then. 

Send  thou  to  Hygelac,      if  strife  shall  take  me, 

That  best  of  byrnies      which  my  breast  guardeth, 

Brightest  of  war-weeds,     the  work  of  Smith  Weland, 

Left  me  by  Hrethel.      Ever  Wyrd  has  her  way." 

The  aged  King  Hrothgar,  who  had  listened  atten- 
tively while  the  hero  spoke  of  his  plans  and  of  his 
possible  fate,  now  greeted  him  saying  :  "  Thou  hast 
sought  my  court  for  honour  and  for  friendship's  sake, 
O  Beowulf :  thou  hast  remembered  the  ancient  alliance 
between  Ecgtheow,  thy  father,  and  myself,  when  I 
shielded  him,  a  fugitive,  from  the  wrath  of  the  Wil- 
fings,  paid  them  the  due  wergild  for  his  crime,  and 
took  his  oath  of  loyalty  to  myself.  Long  ago  that 
time  is ;  Ecgtheow  is  dead,  and  I  am  old  and  in 
misery.  It  were  too  long  now  to  tell  of  all  the  woe 

ii 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

that  Grendel  has  wrought,  but  this  I  may  say,  that 
many  a  hero  has  boasted  of  the  great  valour  he  would 
display  in  strife  with  the  monster,  and  has  awaited  his 
coming  in  this  hall  ;  in  the  morning  there  has  been  no 
trace  of  each  hero  but  the  dark  blood-stains  on  benches 
and  tables.  How  many  times  has  that  happened  ! 
But  sit  down  now  to  the  banquet  and  tell  thy  plans,  if 
such  be  thy  will." 

Thereupon  room  was  made  ror  the  Geat  warriors 
on  the  long  benches,  and  Beowulf  sat  in  the  place  ot 
honour  opposite  to  the  king  :  great  respect  was  shown 
to  him,  and  all  men  looked  with  wonder  on  this  mighty 
hero,  whose  courage  led  him  to  hazard  this  terrible 
combat.  Great  carved  horns  of  ale  were  borne  to 
Beowulf  and  his  men,  savoury  meat  was  placed  before 
them,  and  while  they  ate  and  drank  the  minstrels 
played  and  sang  to  the  harp  the  deeds  of  men  of  old. 
The  mirth  of  the  feast  was  redoubled  now  men  hoped 
that  a  deliverer  had  come  indeed. 

The  Quarrel 

Among  all  the  Danes  who  were  rejoicing  over  Beo- 
wulfs  coming  there  was  one  whose  heart  was  sad  and 
his  brow  gloomy — one  thane  whom  jealousy  urged  to 
hate  any  man  more  distinguished  than  himself.  Hun- 
ferth,  King  Hrothgar's  orator  and  speech-maker,  from 
his  official  post  at  Hrothgar's  feet  watched  Beowulf 
with  scornful  and  jealous  eyes.  He  waited  until  a  pause 
came  in  the  clamour  of  the  feast,  and  suddenly  spoke, 
coldly  and  contemptuously:  "Art  thou  that  Beowulf 
who  strove  against  Breca,  the  son  of  Beanstan,  when 
ye  two  held  a  swimming  contest  in  the  ocean  and 
risked  your  lives  in  the  deep  waters  ?  In  vain  all 
your  friends  urged  you  to  forbear — ye  would  go  on 
the  hazardous  journey  ;  ye  plunged  in,  buffeting  the 

12 


Beowulf  replies  haughtily  to  Hunferth 


THE  QUARREL 

wintry  waves  through  the  rising  storm.  Seven  days 
and  nights  ye  toiled,  but  Breca  overcame  thee  :  he  had 
greater  strength  and  courage.  Him  the  ocean  bore  to 
shore,  and  thence  he  sought  his  native  land,  and  the 
fair  city  where  he  ruled  as  lord  and  chieftain.  Fully 
he  performed  his  boast  against  thce.  So  I  now  look 
for  a  worse  issue  for  thee,  for  thou  wilt  find  Grendel 
fiercer  in  battle  than  was  Breca,  if  thou  darest  await 
him  this  night." 

Beowulf's  brow  flushed  with  anger  as  he  replied 
haughtily  :  "  Much  hast  thou  spoken,  friend  Hunferth, 
concerning  Breca  and  our  swimming  contest ;  but  belike 
thou  art  drunken,  for  wrongly  hast  thou  told  the  tale. 
A  youthful  folly  of  ours  it  was,  when  we  two  boasted 
and  challenged  each  other  to  risk  our  lives  in  the 
ocean  ;  that  indeed  we  did.  Naked  swords  we  bore  in 
our  hands  as  we  swam,  to  defend  ourselves  against  the 
sea-monsters,  and  we  floated  together,  neither  outdis- 
tancing the  other,  for  five  days,  when  a  storm  drove  us 
apart.  Cold  were  the  surging  waves,  bitter  the  north 
wind,  rough  was  the  swelling  flood,  under  the  darken- 
ing shades  of  night.  Yet  this  was  not  the  worst :  the 
sea-monsters,  excited  by  the  raging  tempest,  rushed 
at  me  with  their  deadly  tusks  and  bore  me  to  the 
abyss.  Well  was  it  then  for  me  that  I  wore  my  well- 
woven  ring-mail,  and  had  my  keen  sword  in  hand  ; 
with  point  and  edge  I  fought  the  deadly  beasts,  and 
killed  them.  Many  a  time  the  hosts  of  monsters  bore 
me  to  the  ocean-bottom,  but  I  slew  numbers  among 
them,  and  thus  we  battled  all  the  night,  until  in  the 
morning  came  light  from  the  east,  and  I  could  see  the 
windy  cliffs  along  the  shore,  and  the  bodies  of  the 
slain  sea-beasts  floating  on  the  surge.  Nine  there 
were -of  them,  for  Wyrd  is  gracious  to  the  man  who 
is  valiant  and  unafraid.  Never  have  I  heard  of  a 

13 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

sterner  conflict,  nor  a  more  unhappy  warrior  lost  in 
the  waters  ;  yet  I  saved  my  life,  and  landed  on  the 
shores  of  Finland.  Breca  wrought  not  so  mightily 
as  I,  nor  have  I  heard  of  such  warlike  deeds  on  thy 
part,  even  though  thou,  O  Hunferth,  didst  murder 
thy  brothers  and  nearest  kinsmen. 

"  Truly  I  say  to  thee,       O  son  of  Ecglaf  bold, 
Grendel  the  grisly  fiend      ne'er  dared  have  wrought 
So  many  miseries,      such  shame  and  anguish  dire, 
To  thy  lord,  Hrothgar  old,      in  his  bright  Heorot, 
Hadst  thou  shown  valiant  mood,      sturdy  and  battle-fierce, 
As  thou  now  boastest." 

Very  wroth  was  Hunferth  over  the  reminder  of  his 
former  wrongdoing  and  the  implied  accusation  of 
cowardice,  but  he  had  brought  it  on  himself  by  his 
unwise  belittling  of  Beowulf's  feat,  and  the  applause 
of  both  Danes  and  Geats  showed  him  that  he  dared  no 
further  attack  the  champion ;  he  had  to  endure  in  silence 
BeowulPs  boast  that  he  and  his  Geats  would  that  night 
await  Grendel  in  the  hall,  and  surprise  him  terribly, 
since  the  fiend  had  ceased  to  expect  any  resistance  from 
the  warlike  Danes.  The  feast  continued,  with  laughter 
and  melody,  with  song  and  boast,  until  the  door  from  the 
women's  bower,  in  the  upper  end  of  the  hall,  opened 
suddenly,  and  Hrothgar's  wife,  the  fair  and  gracious 
Queen  Wealhtheow,  entered.  The  tumult  lulled  for  a 
short  space,  and  the  queen,  pouring  mead  into  a  gob- 
let, presented  it  to  her  husband  ;  joyfully  he  received 
and  drank  it.  Then  she  poured  mead  or  ale  for  each 
man,  and  in  due  course  came  to  Beowulf,  as  to  the 
guest  of  honour.  Gratefully  Wealhtheow  greeted  the 
lordly  hero,  and  thanked  him  for  the  friendship  which 
brought  him  to  Denmark  to  risk  his  life  against 
Grendel.  Beowulf,  rising  respectfully  and  taking  the 
cup  from  the  queen's  hand,  said  with  dignity  : 
14 


BEOWULF  AND  GRENDEL 

"  This  I  considered  well      when  I  the  ocean  sought, 
Sailed  in  the  sea-vessel      with  my  brave  warriors, 
That  I  alone  would  win       thy  folk's  deliverance, 
Or  in  the  fight  would  fall       fast  in  the  demon's  grip. 
Needs  must  I  now  perform       knightly  deeds  in  this  hall, 
Or  here  must  meet  my  doom       in  darksome  night." 

Well  pleased,  Queen  Wealhtheow  went  to  sit  beside 
her  lord,  where  her  gracious  smile  cheered  the  assembly. 
Then  the  clamour  of  the  feast  was  renewed,  until 
Hrothgar  at  length  gave  the  signal  for  retiring.  In- 
deed, it  was  necessary  to  leave  Heorot  when  darkness 
fell,  for  the  fiend  came  each  night  when  sunlight  faded. 
So  the  whole  assembly  arose,  each  man  bade  his  com- 
rades "  Good  night,"  and  the  Danes  dispersed  ;  but 
Hrothgar  addressed  Beowulf  half  joyfully,  half  sadly, 
saying  : 

"  Never  before  have  I       since  I  held  spear  and  shield 
Given  o'er  to  any  man       this  mighty  Danish  hall, 
Save  now  to  thee  alone.       Keep  thou  and  well  defend 
This  best  of  banquet-halls.       Show  forth  thy  hero-strength, 
Call  up  thy  bravery,      watch  for  the  enemy  ! 
Thou  shalt  not  lack  gifts  of  worth      if  thou  alive  remain 
Winner  in  this  dire  strife." 

Thus  Hrothgar  departed,  to  seek  slumber  in  a  less 
dangerous  abode,  where,  greatly  troubled  in  mind,  he 
awaited  the  dawn  with  almost  hopeless  expectation, 
and  Beowulf  and  his  men  prepared  themselves  for  the 
perils  of  the  night. 

Beowulf  and  Grendel 

The  fourteen  champions  of  the  Geats  now  made 
ready  for  sleep ;  but  while  the  others  lay  down  in  their 
armour,  with  weapons  by  their  sides,  Beowulf  took  off 
his  mail,  unbelted  his  sword,  unhelmed  himself,  and 
gave  his  sword  to  a  thane  to  bear  away.  For,  as  he 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

said  to  his  men, "  I  will  strive  against  this  fiend  weapon- 
less. With  no  armour,  since  he  wears  none,  will  I  wrestle 
with  him,  and  try  to  overcome  him.  I  will  conquer, 
if  I  win,  by  my  hand-grip  alone  ;  and  the  All-Father 
shall  judge  between  us,  and  grant  the  victory  to  whom 
He  will." 

The  Geats  then  lay  down — brave  men  who  slept 
calmly,  though  they  knew  they  were  risking  their  lives, 
for  none  of  them  expected  to  see  the  light  of  day  again, 
or  to  revisit  their  native  land  :  they  had  heard,  too, 
much  during  the  feast  of  the  slaughter  which  Grcndel 
had  wrought.  So  night  came,  the  voices  of  men  grew 
silent,  and  the  darkness  shrouded  all  alike — calm 
sleepers,  anxious  watchers,  and  the  deadly,  creeping  foe. 

When  everything  was  still  Grendel  came.  From 
the  fen-fastnesses,  by  marshy  tracts,  through  mists  and 
swamp-born  fogs,  the  hideous  monster  made  his  way  to 
the  house  he  hated  so  bitterly.  Grendel  strode  fiercely 
to  the  door  of  Heorot,  and  would  fain  have  opened  it 
as  usual,  but  it  was  locked  and  bolted.  Then  the  fiend's 
wrath  was  roused ;  he  grasped  the  door  with  his  mighty 
hands  and  burst  it  in.  As  he  entered  he  seemed  to 
fill  the  hall  with  his  monstrous  shadow,  and  from  his 
eyes  shone  a  green  and  uncanny  light,  which  showed 
him  a  troop  of  warriors  lying  asleep  in  their  war-gear  ; 
it  seemed  that  all  slept,  and  the  fiend  did  not  notice 
that  one  man  half  rose,  leaning  on  his  elbow  and 
peering  keenly  into  the  gloom.  Grendel  hastily  put 
forth  his  terrible  scaly  hand  and  seized  one  hapless 
sleeper.  Tearing  him  limb  from  limb,  so  swiftly  that 
his  cry  of  agony  was  unheard,  he  drank  the  warm  blood 
and  devoured  the  flesh  ;  then,  excited  by  the  hideous 
food,  he  reached  forth  again.  Great  was  Grendel' s 
amazement  to  find  that  his  hand  was  seized  in  a  grasp 
such  as  he  had  never  felt  before,  and  to  know  that  he 
16 


BEOWULF  AND  GRENDEL 

had  at  last  found  an  antagonist  whom  even  he  must 
fight  warily.  Beowulf  sprang  from  his  couch  as  the 
terrible  claws  of  the  monster  fell  upon  him,  and 
wrestled  with  Grendel  in  the  darkness  and  gloom  of 
the  unlighted  hall,  where  the  flicker  of  the  fire  had 
died  down  to  a  dim  glow  in  the  dull  embers.  That 
was  a  dreadful  struggle,  as  the  combatants,  in  deadly 
conflict,  swayed  up  and  down  the  hall,  overturning 
tables  and  benches,  trampling  underfoot  dishes  and 
goblets  in  the  darkling  wrestle  for  life.  The  men  of 
the  Geats  felt  for  their  weapons,  but  they  could  not 
see  the  combatants  distinctly,  though  they  heard  the 
panting  and  the  trampling  movements,  and  occasion- 
ally caught  a  gleam  from  the  fiend's  eyes  as  his  face 
was  turned  towards  them.  When  they  struck  their 
weapons  glanced  harmlessly  off  Grendel's  scaly  hide. 
The  struggle  continued  for  some  time,  and  the  hall 
was  an  utter  wreck  within,  when  Grendel,  worsted  for 
once,  tried  to  break  away  and  rush  out  into  the  night ; 
but  Beowulf  held  him  fast  in  the  grip  which  no  man  on 
earth  could  equal  or  endure,  and  the  monster  writhed 
in  anguish  as  he  vainly  strove  to  free  himself — vainly, 
for  Beowulf  would  not  loose  his  grip.  Suddenly, 
with  one  great  cry,  Grendel  wrenched  himself  free,  and 
staggered  to  the  door,  leaving  behind  a  terrible  blood- 
trail,  for  his  arm  and  shoulder  were  torn  off  and  left 
in  the  victor's  grasp.  So  the  monster  fled  wailing 
over  the  moors  to  his  home  in  the  gloomy  mere,  and 
Beowulf  sank  panting  on  a  shattered  seat,  scarce  be- 
lieving in  his  victory,  until  his  men  gathered  round, 
bringing  a  lighted  torch,  by  the  flaring  gleam  of  which 
the  green,  scaly  arm  of  Grendel  looked  ghastly  and 
threatening.  But  the  monster  had  fled,  and  after  such 
a  wound  as  the  loss  of  his  arm  and  shoulder  must 
gurely  die ;  therefore  the  Geats  raised  a  shout  of 

17 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

triumph,  and  then  took  the  hateful  trophy  and  fastened 
it  high  up  on  the  roof  of  the  hall,  that  all  who  entered 
might  see  the  token  of  victory  and  recognise  that  the 
Geat  hero  had  performed  his  boast,  that  he  would  con- 
quer with  no  weapon,  but  by  the  strength  of  his  hands 
alone. 

In  the  morning  many  a  warrior  came  to  Heorot  to 
learn  the  events  of  the  night,  and  all  saw  the  grisly 
trophy,  praised  Beowulf  s  might  and  courage,  and 
followed  with  eager  curiosity  the  bloodstained  track  of 
the  fleeing  demon  till  it  came  to  the  brink  of  the 
gloomy  lake,  where  it  disappeared,  though  the  waters 
were  stained  with  gore,  and  boiled  and  surged  with 
endless  commotion.  There  on  the  shore  the  Danes 
rejoiced  over  the  death  of  their  enemy,  and  returned  to 
Heorot  care-free  and  glad  at  heart.  Meanwhile  Beowulf 
and  his  Geats  stayed  in  Heorot,  for  Hrothgar  had  not 
yet  come  to  receive  an  account  of  their  night-watch. 
Throughout  the  day  there  was  feasting  and  rejoicing, 
with  horse-races,  and  wrestling,  and  manly  contests  of 
skill  and  endurance  ;  or  the  Danes  collected  around 
the  bard  as  he  chanted  the  glory  of  Sigmund  and  his 
son  Fitela.  Then  came  King  Hrothgar  himself,  with 
his  queen  and  her  maiden  train,  and  they  paused  to 
gaze  with  horror  on  the  dreadful  trophy,  and  to  turn 
with  gratitude  to  the  hero  who  had  delivered  them 
from  this  evil  spirit.  Hrothgar  said  :  "  Thanks  be  to 
the  All-Father  for  this  happy  sight  !  Much  sorrow 
have  I  endured  at  the  hands  of  Grendel,  many  warriors 
have  I  lost,  many  uncounted  years  of  misery  have  I 
lived,  but  now  my  woe  has  an  end  !  Now  a  youth 
has  performed,  with  his  unaided  strength,  what  all  we 
could  not  compass  with  our  craft  !  Well  might  thy 
father,  O  Beowulf,  rejoice  in  thy  fame  !  Well  may 
thy  mother,  if  she  yet  lives,  praise  the  All- Father  for 
18 


BEOWULF  AND  GRENDEL 

the  noble  son  she  bore  !  A  son  indeed  shalt  thou  be 
to  me  in  love,  and  nothing  thou  desirest  shalt  thou 
lack,  that  I  can  give  thee.  Often  have  I  rewarded  less 
heroic  deeds  with  great  gifts,  and  to  thee  I  can  deny 
nothing." 

Beowulf  answered  :  "  We  have  performed  our 
boast,  O  King,  and  have  driven  away  the  enemy.  I 
intended  to  force  him  down  on  one  of  the  beds,  and 
to  deprive  him  of  his  life  by  mere  strength  of  my 
hand-grip,  but  in  this  I  did  not  succeed,  for  Grendel 
escaped  from  the  hall.  Yet  he  left  here  with  me  his 
hand,  his  arm,  and  shoulder  as  a  token  of  his  presence, 
and  as  the  ransom  with  which  he  bought  off  the  rest 
of  his  loathsome  body  ;  yet  none  the  longer  will  he 
live  thereby,  since  he  bears  with  him  so  deadly  a 
wound." 

Then  the  hall  was  cleared  of  the  traces  of  the  conflict 
and  hasty  preparation  was  made  for  a  splendid  banquet. 
There  was  joy  in  Heorot.  The  Danes  assembled  once 
again  free  from  fear  in  their  splendid  hall,  the  walls 
were  hung  with  gold-wrought  embroideries  and  hang- 
ings of  costly  stuffs,  while  richly  chased  goblets  shone 
on  the  long  tables,  and  men's  tongues  waxed  loud  as 
they  discussed  and  described  the  heroic  struggle  of  the 
night  before.  Beowulf  and  King  Hrothgar  sat  on  the 
high  seats  opposite  to  each  other,  and  their  men,  Danes 
and  Geats,  sitting  side  by  side,  shouted  and  cheered  and 
drank  deeply  to  the  fame  of  Beowulf.  The  minstrels 
sang  of  the  Fight  in  Finnsburg  and  the  deeds  of  Finn 
and  Hnaef,  of  Hengest  and  Queen  Hildeburh.  Long 
was  the  chant,  and  it  roused  the  national  pride  of  the 
Danes  to  hear  of  the  victory  of  their  Danish  fore- 
fathers over  Finn  of  the  Frisians;  and  merrily  the 
banquet  went  forward,  gladdened  still  more  by  the 
presence  of  Queen  Wealhtheow.  Now  Hrothgar 
D  19 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

showed  his  lavish  generosity  and  his  thankfulness  by 
the  gifts  with  which  he  loaded  the  Geat  chief ;  and  not 
only  Beowulf,  but  every  man  of  the  little  troop.  Beo- 
wulf received  a  gold-embroidered  banner,  a  magnificent 
sword,  helmet,  and  corslet,  a  goblet  of  gold,  and  eight 
fleet  steeds.  On  the  back  of  the  best  was  strapped  a 
cunningly  wrought  saddle,  Hrothgar's  own,  with  gold 
ornaments.  When  the  Geat  hero  had  thanked  the 
king  fittingly,  Queen  Wealhtheow  arose  from  her  seat, 
and,  lifting  the  great  drinking-cup,  offered  it  to  her 
lord,  saying  : 

"  Take  thou  this  goblet,      my  lord  and  my  ruler, 
O  giver  of  treasure,      O  gold-friend  of  heroes, 
And  speak  to  the  Geats       fair  speeches  of  kindness, 
Be  mirthful  and  joyous,      for  so  should  a  man  be  ! 
To  the  Geats  be  gracious,      mindful  of  presents 
Now  that  from  far  and  near      thou  hast  firm  peace  ! 
Tidings  have  come  to  me      that  thou  for  son  wilt  take 
This  mighty  warrior      who  has  cleansed  Heorot, 
Brightest  of  banquet-halls  !       Enjoy  while  thou  mayest 
These  manifold  pleasures,      and  leave  to  thy  kinsmen 
Thy  lands  and  thy  lordships      when  thou  must  journey  forth 
To  meet  thy  death." 

Turning  to  Beowulf,  the  queen  said :  "  Enjoy 
thy  reward,  O  dear  Beowulf,  while  thou  canst,  and 
live  noble  and  blessed  1  Keep  well  thy  widespread 
fame,  and  be  a  friend  to  my  sons  in  time  to  come, 
should  they  ever  need  a  protector."  Then  she  gave 
him  two  golden  armlets,  set  with  jewels,  costly  rings,  a 
corslet  of  chain-mail  and  a  wonderful  jewelled  collar  of 
exquisite  ancient  workmanship,  and,  bidding  them  con- 
tinue their  feasting,  with  her  maidens  she  left  the  hall. 
The  feast  went  on  till  Hrothgar  also  departed  to  his 
dwelling,  and  left  the  Danes,  now  secure  and  careless, 
to  prepare  their  beds,  place  each  warrior's  shield  at  the 
head,  and  go  to  sleep  in  their  armour  ready  for  an 

20 


GRENDEL'S  MOTHER 

alarm.  Meanwhile  Beowulf  and  the  Geats  were  joy- 
fully escorted  to  another  lodging,  where  they  slept 
soundly  without  disturbance. 

Grendel's  Mother 

In  the  darkness  of  the  night  an  avenger  came  to 
Heorot,  came  in  silence  and  mystery  as  Grendel  had 
done,  with  thoughts  of  murder  and  hatred  raging  in  her 
heart.  Grendel  had  gone  home  to  die,  but  his  mother, 
a  fiend  scarcely  less  terrible  than  her  son,  yet  lived  to 
avenge  his  death.  She  arose  from  her  dwelling  in  the 
gloomy  lake,  followed  the  fen  paths  and  moorland 
ways  to  Heorot,  and  opened  the  door.  There  was  a 
horrible  panic  when  her  presence  became  known,  and 
men  ran  hither  and  thither  vainly  seeking  to  attack 
her ;  yet  there  was  less  terror  among  them  than 
before  when  they  saw  the  figure  of  a  horrible  woman. 
In  spite  of  all,  the  monster  seized  Aschere,  one  of 
King  Hrothgar's  thanes,  and  bore  him  away  to  the 
fens,  leaving  a  house  of  lamentation  where  men  had 
feasted  so  joyously  a  few  hours  before.  The  news  was 
brought  to  King  Hrothgar,  who  bitterly  lamented  the 
loss  of  his  wisest  and  dearest  counsellor,  and  bade 
them  call  Beowulf  to  him,  since  he  alone  could  help  in 
this  extremity.  When  Beowulf  stood  before  the  king 
he  courteously  inquired  if  his  rest  had  been  peaceful. 
Hrothgar  answered  mournfully :  "  Ask  me  not  of 
peace,  for  care  is  renewed  in  Heorot.  Dead  is 
Aschere,  my  best  counsellor  and  friend,  the  truest  of 
comrades  in  fight  and  in  council.  Such  as  Aschere 
was  should  a  true  vassal  be  !  A  deadly  fiend  has 
slain  him  in  Heorot,  and  I  know  not  whither  she  has 
carried  his  lifeless  body.  This  is  doubtless  her  ven- 
geance for  thy  slaying  of  Grendel ;  he  is  dead,  and  his 
kinswoman  has  come  to  avenge  him." 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

•*  I  have  heard  it  reported      by  some  of  my  people 
That  they  have  looked  on       two  such  unearthly  ones, 
Huge-bodied  march-striders      holding  the  moor  wastes ; 
One  of  them  seemed  to  be      shaped  like  a  woman, 
Her  fellow  in  exile      bore  semblance  of  manhood, 
Though  huger  his  stature      than  man  ever  grew  to  : 
In  years  that  are  long  gone  by       Grendel  they  named  him, 
But  know  not  his  father      nor  aught  of  his  kindred. 
Thus  these  dire  monsters      dwell  in  the  secret  lands, 
Haunt  the  hills  loved  by  wolves,      the  windy  nesses, 
Dangerous  marshy  paths,      where  the  dark  moorland  stream 
'Neath  the  o'erhanging  cliffs      downwards  departeth, 
Sinks  in  the  sombre  earth.       Not  far  remote  from  us 
Standeth  the  gloomy  mere,      round  whose  shores  cluster 
Groves  with  their  branches  mossed,      hoary  with  lichens  grey 
A  wood  firmly  rooted      o'ershadows  the  water. 
There  is  a  wonder  seen      nightly  by  wanderers, 
Flame  in  the  waterfiood  :      liveth  there  none  of  men 
Ancient  or  wise  enough      to  know  its  bottom. 
Though  the  poor  stag  may  be      hard  by  the  hounds  pursued, 
Though  he  may  seek  the  wood,      chased  by  his  cruel  foes, 
Yet  will  he  yield  his  life      to  hunters  on  the  brink 
Ere  he  will  hide  his  head      in  the  dark  waters. 
'Tis  an  uncanny  place.      Thence  the  surge  swelleth  up 
Dark  to  the  heavens  above,      when  the  wind  stirreth  oft 
Terrible  driving  storms,      till  the  air  darkens, 
The  skies  fall  to  weeping." 

Then  Hrothgar  burst  forth  in  uncontrollable  emo- 
tion :  "  O  Beowulf,  help  us  if  thou  canst  !  Help  is 
only  to  be  found  in  thee.  But  yet  thou  knowest  not 
the  dangerous  place  thou  must  needs  explore  if  thou 
seek  the  fiend  in  her  den.  I  will  richly  reward  thy  valour 
if  thou  returnest  alive  from  this  hazardous  journey." 

Beowulf  was  touched  by  the  sorrow  of  the  grey- 
haired  king,  and  replied  ; 

"  Grieve  not,  O  prudent  King  !      Better  it  is  for  each 
That  he  avenge  his  friend,      than  that  he  mourn  him  much. 
Each  man  must  undergo      death  at  the  end  of  life. 
Let  him  win  while  he  may      warlike  fame  in  the  world  ! 
That  is  best  after  death      for  the  slain  warrior." 
ta 


Beowulf  finds  the  head  of  Aschere 


THE  FIGHT  WITH  GRENDEL'S  MOTHER 
"  Arise,  my  lord  ;   let  us  scan  the  track  left  by  the 
monster,  for  I  promise  thee  I  will  never  lose  it,  where- 
soever it   may  lead  me.     Only  have  patience  yet  for 
this  one  day  of  misery,  as  I  am  sure  thou  wilt." 

Hrothgar  sprang  up  joyously,  almost  youthfully, 
and  ordered  his  horse  to  be  saddled  ;  then,  with  Beo- 
wulf beside  him,  and  a  mixed  throng  of  Geats  and 
Danes  following,  he  rode  away  towards  the  home 
of  the  monsters,  the  dread  lake  which  all  men 
shunned.  The  blood-stained  tracks  were  easy  to  see, 
and  the  avengers  moved  on  swiftly  till  they  came  to 
the  edge  of  the  mere,  and  there,  with  grief  and  horror, 
saw  the  head  of  Aschere  lying  on  the  bank. 

"  The  lake  boiled  with  blood,      with  hot  welling  gore  ; 
The  warriors  gazed  awe-struck,      and  the  dread  horn  sang 
From  time  to  time  fiercely      eager  defiance. 
The  warriors  sat  down  there,      and  saw  on  the  water 
The  sea-dragons  swimming      to  search  the  abysses. 
They  saw  on  the  steep  nesses      sea-monsters  lying, 
Snakes  and  weird  creatures  :      these  madly  shot  away 
Wrathful  and  venomous      when  the  sound  smote  their  ears, 
The  blast  of  the  war-horn." 

As  Beowulf  stood  on  the  shore  and  watched  the  un- 
couth sea-creatures,  serpents,  nicors,  monstrous  beasts 
of  all  kinds,  he  suddenly  drew  his  bow  and  shot  one  of 
them  to  the  heart.  The  rest  darted  furiously  away,  and 
the  thanes  were  able  to  drag  the  carcase  of  the  slain 
beast  on  shore,  where  they  surveyed  it  with  wonder. 

The  Fight  with  Grendel's  Mother 

Meanwhile  Beowulf  had  made  ready  for  his  task. 
He  trusted  to  his  well-woven  mail,  the  corslet  fitting 
closely  to  his  body  and  protecting  his  breast,  the  shin- 
ing helm  guarding  his  head,  bright  with  the  boar- 
image  on  the  crest,  and  the  mighty  sword  Hrunting, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

which  Hunferth,  his  jealousy  forgotten  in  admiration, 
pressed  on  the  adventurous  hero. 

"  That  sword  was  called  Hrunting,       an  ancient  heritage . 
Steel  was  the  blade  itself,      tempered  with  poison-twigs, 
Hardened  with  battle-blood  :       never  in  fight  it  failed 
Any  who  wielded  it,      when  he  would  wage  a  strife 
In  the  dire  battlefield,       folk-moot  of  enemies." 

When  Beowulf  stood  ready  with  naked  sword  in 
hand,  he  turned  and  looked  at  his  loyal  followers,  his 
friendly  hosts,  the  grey  old  King  Hrothgar,  the  sun 
and  the  green  earth,  which  he  might  never  see  again  ; 
but  it  was  with  no  trace  of  weakness  or  fear  that  he 
spoke : 

"  Forget  not,  O  noble       kinsman  of  Healfdene, 
Illustrious  ruler,      gold-friend  of  warriors, 
What  we  two  settled      when  we  spake  together, 
If  I  for  thy  safety  should      end  here  my  life-days, 
That  thou  wouldst  be  to  me,       though  dead,  as  a  father. 
Be  to  my  kindred  thanes,      my  battle-comrades, 
A  worthy  protector      should  death  o'ertake  me. 
Do  thou,  dear  Hrothgar,      send  all  these  treasures  here 
Which  thou  hast  given  me,      to  my  king,  Hygelac. 
Then  may  the  Geat  king,      brave  son  of  Hrethel  dead, 
See  by  the  gold  and  gems,       know  by  the  treasures  there, 
That  I  found  a  generous  lord,      whom  I  lored  in  my  life. 
Give  thou  to  Hunferth  too      my  wondrous  old  weapon, 
The  sword  with  its  graven  blade;      let  the  right  valiant  man 
Have  the  keen  war-blade  :      I  will  win  fame  with  his, 
With  Hrunting,  noble  brand,      or  death  shall  take  me." 

Beowulf  dived  downward,  as  it  seemed  to  him,  for 
the  space  of  a  day  ere  he  could  perceive  the  floor  of 
that  sinister  lake,  and  all  that  time  he  had  to  fight  the 
sea-beasts,  for  they,  attacking  him  with  tusk  and  horn, 
strove  to  break  his  ring-mail,  but  in  vain.  As  Beo- 
wulf came  near  the  bottom  he  felt  himself  seized  in 
long,  scaly  arms  of  gigantic  strength.  The  fierce  claws 
*4 


THE  FIGHT  WITH  GRENDEL'S  MOTHER 

of  the  wolfish  sea-woman  strove  eagerly  to  reach  his 
heart  through  his  mail,  but  in  vain  ;  so  the  she-wolf 
of  the  waters,  a  being  awful  and  loathsome,  bore  him 
to  her  abode,  rushing  through  thick  clusters  of  horrible 
sea-beasts. 

*'  The  hero  now  noticed      he  was  in  some  hostile  hall, 
Where  him  the  water-stream      no  whit  might  injure, 
Nor  for  the  sheltering  roof      the  rush  of  the  raging  flood 
Ever  could  touch  him.       He  saw  the  strange  flickering  flame, 
Weird  lights  in  the  water,      shining  with  livid  sheen  : 
He  saw,  too,  the  ocean-wolf,      the  hateful  sea-woman." 

Terrible  and  almost  superhuman  was  the  contest 
which  now  followed  :  the  awful  sea-woman  flung  Beo- 
wulf down  on  his  back  and  stabbed  at  him  with  point 
and  edge  of  her  broad  knife,  seeking  some  vulnerable 
point ;  but  the  good  corslet  resisted  all  her  efforts,  and 
Beowulf,  exerting  his  mighty  force,  overthrew  her  and 
sprang  to  his  feet.  Angered  beyond  measure,  he 
brandished  the  flaming  sword  Hrunting,  and  flashed 
one  great  blow  at  her  head  which  would  have  killed 
her  had  her  scales  and  hair  been  vulnerable  ;  but  alas  ! 
the  edge  of  the  blade  turned  on  her  scaly  hide,  and  the 
blow  failed.  Wrathfully  Beowulf  cast  aside  the  useless 
sword,  and  determined  to  trust  once  again  to  his  hand- 

eip.      Grendel's  mother  now  felt,  in  her  turn,  the 
;adly  power  of  Beowulf's  grasp,  and  was  borne  to 
the  ground  ;  but  the  struggle  continued  long,  for  Beo- 
wulf was  weaponless,  since  the  sword  failed  in  its  work. 
Yet  some  weapon  he  must  have. 

"  So  he  gazed  at  the  walls,      saw  there  a  glorious  sword, 
An  old  brand  gigantic,      trusty  in  point  and  edge, 
An  heirloom  of  heroes  ;      that  was  the  best  of  blades, 
Splendid  and  stately,      the  forging  of  giants; 
But  it  was  huger  than       any  of  human  race 
Could  bear  to  battle-strife,      save  Beowulf  only." 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

This  mighty  sword,  a  relic  of  earlier  and  greater 
races,  brought  new  hope  to  Beowulf.  Springing  up,  he 
snatched  it  from  the  wall  and  swung  it  fiercely  round 
his  head.  The  blow  fell  with  crushing  force  on  the 
neck  of  the  sea-woman,  the  dread  wolf  of  the  abyss, 
and  broke  the  bones.  Dead  the  monster  sank  to  the 
ground,  and  Beowulf,  standing  erect,  saw  at  his  feet 
the  lifeless  carcase  of  his  foe.  The  hero  still  grasped 
his  sword  and  looked  warily  along  the  walls  of  the 
water-dwelling,  lest  some  other  foe  should  emerge 
from  its  recesses  ;  but  as  he  gazed  Beowulf  saw  his 
former  foe,  Grendel,  lying  dead  on  a  bed  in  some 
inner  hall.  He  strode  thither,  and,  seizing  the  corpse 
by  the  hideous  coiled  locks,  shore  off  the  head  to  carry 
to  earth  again.  The  poisonous  hot  blood  of  the 
monster  melted  the  blade  of  the  mighty  sword,  and 
nothing  remained  but  the  hilt,  wrought  with  curious 
ornaments  and  signs  of  old  time.  This  hilt  and  Grendel's 
head  were  all  that  Beowulf  carried  off  from  the  water- 
fiends'  dwelling  ;  and  laden  with  these  the  hero  sprang 
up  through  the  now  clear  and  sparkling  water. 

Meanwhile  the  Danes  and  Geats  had  waited  long 
for  his  reappearance.  When  the  afternoon  was  well 
advanced  the  Danes  departed  sadly,  lamenting  the 
hero's  death,  for  they  concluded  no  man  could  have 
survived  so  long  beneath  the  waters  ;  but  his  loyal 
Geats  sat  there  still  gazing  sadly  at  the  waves,  and 
hoping  against  all  hope  that  Beowulf  would  reappear. 
At  length  they  saw  changes  in  the  mere — the  blood 
boiling  upwards  in  the  lake,  the  quenching  of  the  un- 
holy light,  then  the  flight  of  the  sea-monsters  and  a 
gradual  clearing  of  the  waters,  through  which  at  last 
they  could  see  their  lord  uprising.  How  gladly 
they  greeted  him  1  What  awe  and  wonder  seized 
them  as  they  surveyed  his  dreadful  booty,  the  ghastly 
26 


Beowulf  shears  oft  the  head  of  Grendel 


26 


THE  FIGHT  WITH  GRENDEL'S  MOTHER 

head  of  Grendel  and  the  massive  hilt  of  the  gigantic 
sword  !  How  eagerly  they  listened  to  his  story,  and 
how  they  vied  with  one  another  for  the  glory  of  bear- 
ing his  armour,  his  spoils,  and  his  weapons  back  over 
the  moorlands  and  the  fens  to  Heorot.  It  was  a 
proud  and  glad  troop  that  followed  Beowulf  into  the 
hall,  and  up  through  the  startled  throng  until  they  laid 
down  before  the  feet  of  King  Hrothgar  the  hideous 
head  of  his  dead  foe,  and  Beowulf,  raising  his  voice  that 
all  might  hear  above  the  buzz  and  hum  of  the  great 
banquet-hall,  thus  addressed  the  king  : 

"Lo  !  we  this  sea-booty,       O  wise  son  of  Healfdene, 
Lord  of  the  Scyldings,  have       brought  for  thy  pleasure, 
In  token  of  triumph,       as  thou  here  seest. 
From  harm  have  I  hardly      escaped  with  my  life, 
The  war  under  water      sustained  I  with  trouble, 
The  conflict  was  almost      decided  against  me, 
If  God  had  not  guarded  me  !       Nought  could  I  conquer 
With  Hrunting  in  battle,      though  'tis  a  doughty  blade. 
But  the  gods  granted  me      that  I  saw  suddenly 
Hanging  high  in  the  hall      a  bright  brand  gigantic  : 
So  seized  I  and  swung  it      that  in  the  strife  I  slew 
The  lords  of  the  dwelling.      The  mighty  blade  melted  fast 
In  the  hot  boiling  blood,      the  poisonous  battle-gore  ; 
But  the  hilt  have  I  here      borne  from  the  hostile  halL 
I  have  avenged  the  crime,      the  death  of  the  Danish  folk, 
As  it  behoved  me.      Now  can  I  promise  thec 
That  thou  in  Heorot      care-free  mayest  slumber 
With  all  thy  warrior-troop      and  all  thy  kindred  thanes, 
The  young  and  the  aged  :  thou  needst  not  fear  for  them 
Death  from  these  mortal  foes,      as  thou  of  yore  hast  done." 

King  Hrothgar  was  now  more  delighted  than  ever  at 
the  return  of  his  friend  and  the  slaughter  of  his  foes. 
He  gazed  in  delight  and  wonder  at  the  gory  head  of 
the  monster,  and  the  gigantic  hilt  of  the  weapon  which 
struck  it  off.  Then,  taking  the  glorious  hilt,  and  scan- 
ning eagerly  the  runes  which  showed  its  history,  as  the 

27 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

tumult  stilled  in  the  hall,  and  all  men  listened  for  his 
speech,  he  broke  out  :  "  Lo  !  this  may  any  man  say, 
who  maintains  truth  and  right  among  his  people,  that 
good  though  he  may  be  this  hero  is  even  better  !  Thy 
glory  is  widespread,  Beowulf  my  friend,  among  thine 
own  and  many  other  nations,  for  thou  hast  fulfilled  all 
things  by  patience  and  prudence.  I  will  surely  per- 
form what  I  promised  thee,  as  we  agreed  before  ;  and 
I  foretell  of  thee  that  thou  wilt  be  long  a  help  and 
protection  to  thy  people." 

King  Hrothgar  spoke  long  and  eloquently  while  all 
men  listened,  for  he  reminded  them  of  mighty  warriors 
of  old  who  had  not  won  such  glorious  fame,  and 
warned  them  against  pride  and  lack  of  generosity  and 
self-seeking  ;  and  then,  ending  with  thanks  and  fresh 
gifts  to  Beowulf,  he  bade  the  feast  continue  with  in- 
creased jubilation.  The  tumultuous  rejoicing  lasted 
till  darkness  settled  on  the  land,  and  when  it  ended  all 
retired  to  rest  free  from  fear,  since  no  more  fiendish 
monsters  would  break  in  upon  their  slumbers;  gladly 
and  peacefully  the  night  passed,  and  with  the  morn 
came  Beowulf's  resolve  to  return  to  his  king  and  his 
native  land. 

When  Beowulf  had  come  to  this  decision  he  went  to 
Hrothgar  and  said  : 

"  Now  we  sea-voyagers      come  hither  from  afar 
Must  utter  our  intent      to  seek  King  Hygelac. 
Here  were  we  well  received,      well  hast  thou  treated  u». 
If  on  this  earth  I  can      do  more  to  win  thy  love, 

0  prince  of  warriors,      than  I  have  wrought  as  yet, 
Here  stand  I  ready  now      weapons  to  wield  for  thee. 
If  I  shall  ever  hear      o'er  the  encircling  flood 

That  any  neighbouring  foes      threaten  thy  nation's  fall, 
As  Grendel  grim  before,      swift  will  I  bring  to  thee 
Thousands  of  noble  thanes,      heroes  to  help  thee. 

1  know  of  Hygelac,      King  of  the  Gcat  folk, 

That  he  will  strengthen  me      (though  he  is  young  in  yean) 
18 


BEOWULFS  RETURN 

In  words  and  warlike  deeds      to  bear  my  warrior-spear 
Over  the  ocean  surge,      when  arms  would  serve  thy  need, 
Swift  to  thine  aid.     If  thy  son  Hrethric  young 
Comes  to  the  Geat  court,      there  to  gain  skill  in  arms, 
Then  will  he  surely  find      many  friends  waiting  him  : 
Better  in  distant  lands       learneth  by  journeying 
He  who  is  valiant." 

Hrothgar  was  greatly  moved  by  the  words  of  the 
Geat  hero  and  his  promise  of  future  help.  He  wondered 
to  find  such  wisdom  in  so  young  a  warrior,  and  felt 
that  the  Geats  could  never  choose  a  better  king  if  battle 
should  cut  off  the  son  of  Hygelac,  and  he  renewed  his 
assurance  of  continual  friendship  between  the  two 
countries  and  of  enduring  personal  affection.  Finally, 
with  fresh  gifts  of  treasure  and  with  tears  of  regret 
Hrothgar  embraced  Beowulf  and  bade  him  go  speedily 
to  his  ship,  since  a  friend's  yearning  could  not  retain  him 
longer  from  his  native  land.  So  the  little  troop  of  Geats 
with  their  gifts  and  treasures  marched  proudly  to  their 
vessel  and  sailed  away  to  Geatland,  their  dragon-prowed 
ship  laden  with  armour  and  jewels  and  steeds,  tokens 
of  remembrance  and  thanks  from  the  grateful  Danes. 

BeowulPs  Return 

Blithe-hearted  were  the  voyagers,  and  gaily  the  ship 
danced  over  the  waves,  as  the  Geats  strained  their 
eyes  towards  the  cliffs  of  their  home  and  the  well- 
known  shores  of  their  country.  When  their  vessel 
approached  the  land  the  coast-warden  came  hurrying 
to  greet  them,  for  he  had  watched  the  ocean  day  and 
night  for  the  return  of  the  valiant  wanderers.  Gladly 
he  welcomed  them,  and  bade  his  underlings  help  to  bear 
their  spoils  up  to  the  royal  palace,  where  King  Hygelac, 
himself  young  and  valiant,  awaited  his  victorious  kins- 
man, with  his  beauteous  queen,  Hygd,  beside  him. 
Then'came  Beowulf,  treading  proudly  the  rocky  paths 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

to  the  royal  abode,  for  messengers  had  gone  in  advance 
to  announce  to  the  king  his  nephew's  success,  and  a 
banquet  was  being  prepared,  where  Beowulf  would  sit 
beside  his  royal  kinsman. 

Once  more  there  was  a  splendid  feast,  with  tumultuous 
rejoicing.  Again  a  queenly  hand — that  of  the  beauteous 
Hygd — poured  out  the  first  bowl  in  which  to  celebrate 
the  safe  return  of  the  victorious  hero.  And  now  the 
wonderful  story  of  the  slaying  of  the  fen-fiends  must 
be  told. 

Beowulf  was  called  upon  to  describe  again  his  perils 
and  his  victories,  and  told  in  glowing  language  of  the 
grisly  monsters  and  the  desperate  combats,  and  of  the 
boundless  gratitude  and  splendid  generosity  of  the 
Danish  king,  and  of  his  prophecy  of  lasting  friendship  be- 
tween the  Danes  and  the  Geats.  Then  he  concluded  : 

"  Thus  that  great  nation's  king      lived  in  all  noble  deeds. 
Of  guerdon  I  failed  not,      of  meed  for  my  valour, 
But  the  wise  son  of  Healfdene      gave  to  me  treasures  great, 
Gifts  to  my  heart's  desire.       These  now  I  bring  to  thee, 
Offer  them  lovingly  :       now  are  my  loyalty 
And  service  due  to  thee,       O  hero-king,  alone  I 
Near  kinsmen  have  I  few       but  thee,  O  Hygelac  !  " 

As  the  hero  showed  the  treasures  with  which 
Hrothgar  had  rewarded  his  courage,  he  distributed  them 
generously  among  his  kinsmen  and  friends,  giving  his 
priceless  jewelled  collar  to  Queen  Hygd,  and  his  best 
steed  to  King  Hygelac,  as  a  true  vassal  and  kinsman 
should.  So  Beowulf  resumed  his  place  as  Hygelac's 
chief  warrior  and  champion,  and  settled  down  among 
his  own  people. 

Fifty  Years  After 

When  half  a  century  had  passed  away,  great  and 
sorrowful  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  two  kingdoms 
30 


BEOWULF  AND  THE  FIRE-DRAGON 

of  Denmark  and  Geatland.  Hrothgar  was  dead,  and  had 
been  succeeded  by  his  son  Hrethric,  and  Hygelac  had 
been  slain  in  a  warlike  expedition  against  the  Hetware. 
In  this  expedition  Beowulf  had  accompanied  Hygelac, 
and  had  done  all  a  warrior  could  do  to  save  his  kinsman 
and  his  king.  When  he  saw  his  master  slain  he  had 
fought  his  way  through  the  encircling  foes  to  the  sea- 
shore, where,  though  sorely  wounded,  he  flung  himself 
into  the  sea  and  swam  back  to  Geatland.  There  he  had 
told  Queen  Hygd  of  the  untimely  death  of  her  husband, 
and  had  called  on  her  to  assume  the  regency  of  the  king, 
dom  for  her  young  son  Heardred.  Queen  Hygd  called 
an  assembly  of  the  Geats,  and  there,  with  the  full  consent 
of  the  nation,  offered  the  crown  to  Beowulf,  the  wisest 
counsellor  and  bravest  hero  among  them ;  but  he 
refused  to  accept  it,  and  so  swayed  the  Geats  by  his 
eloquence  and  his  loyalty  that  they  unanimously  raised 
Heardred  to  the  throne,  with  Beowulf  as  his  guardian 
and  protector.  When  in  later  years  Heardred  also 
fell  before  an  enemy,  Beowulf  was  again  chosen  king, 
and  as  he  was  now  the  next  of  kin  he  accepted  the 
throne,  and  ruled  long  and  gloriously  over  Geatland. 
His  fame  as  a  warrior  kept  his  country  free  from  in- 
vasion, and  his  wisdom  as  a  statesman  increased  its 
prosperity  and  happiness  ;  whilst  the  vengeance  he  took 
for  his  kinsman's  death  fulfilled  all  ideals  of  family  and 
feudal  duty  held  by  the  men  of  his  time.  Beowulf,  in 
fact,  became  an  ideal  king,  as  he  was  an  ideal  warrior 
and  hero,  and  he  closed  his  life  by  an  ideal  act  of  self- 
sacrifice  for  the  good  of  his  people. 

Beowulf  and  the  Fire-Dragon 

In  the  fiftieth  year  of  Beowulf's  reign  a  great  terror 
fell  upon  the  land  :  terror  of  a  monstrous  fire-dragon, 
who  flew  forth  by  night  from  his  den  in  the  rocks, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

lighting  up  the  blackness  with  his  blazing  breath,  and 
burning  houses  and  homesteads,  men  and  cattle,  with 
the  flames  from  his  mouth.  The  glare  from  his  fiery- 
scales  was  like  the  dawn-glow  in  the  sky,  but  his  passage 
left  behind  it  every  night  a  trail  of  black,  charred  desola- 
tion to  confront  the  rising  sun.  Yet  the  dragon's  wrath 
was  in  some  way  justified,  since  he  had  been  robbed, 
and  could  not  trace  the  thief.  Centuries  before 
Beowulf's  lifetime  a  mighty  family  of  heroes  had 
gathered  together,  by  feats  of  arms,  and  by  long  inherit- 
ance, an  immense  treasure  of  cups  and  goblets,  of 
necklaces  and  rings,  of  swords  and  helmets  and  armour, 
cunningly  wrought  by  magic  spells  ;  they  had  joyed  in 
their  cherished  hoard  for  long  years,  until  all  had  died 
but  one,  and  he  survived  solitary,  miserable,  brooding 
over  the  fate  of  the  dearly  loved  treasure.  At  last  he 
caused  his  servants  to  make  a  strong  fastness  in  the 
rocks,  with  cunningly  devised  entrances,  known  only  to 
himself,  and  thither,  with  great  toil  and  labour  of  aged 
limbs,  he  carried  and  hid  the  precious  treasure.  As  he 
sadly  regarded  it,  and  thought  of  its  future  fate,  he 
cried  aloud  : 

"  Hold  thou  now  fast,  O  earth,       now  men  no  longer  can, 
The  treasure  of  mighty  earls.       From  thee  brave  men  won  it 
In  days  that  are  long  gone  by,      but  slaughter  seized  on  them, 
Death  fiercely  vanquished  them,       each  of  my  warriors, 
Each  one  of  my  people,      who  closed  their  life-days  here 
After  the  joy  of  earth.       None  have  I  sword  to  wield 
Or  bring  me  the  goblet,      the  richly  wrought  vessel. 
All  the  true  heroes  have      elsewhere  departed  ! 
Now  must  the  gilded  helm      lose  its  adornments, 
For  those  who  polished  it      sleep  in  the  gloomy  grave, 
Those  who  made  ready  erst      war-gear  of  warriors. 
Likewise  the  battle-sark      which  in  the  fight  endured 
Bites  of  the  keen-edged  blades      midst  the  loud  crash  of  shields 
Rusts,  with  its  wearer  dead.     Nor  may  the  woven  mail 
After  the  chieftain's  death      wide  with  a  champion  rove. 

3* 


BEOWULF  AND  THE  FIRE-DRAGON 

Gone  is  the  joy  of  harp,      gone  is  the  music's  mirth. 
Now  the  hawk  goodly-winged      hovers  not  through  the  hall, 
Nor  the  swift-footed  mare      tramples  the  castle  court : 
Baleful  death  far  has  sent      all  living  tribes  of  men.*' 

When  this  solitary  survivor  of  the  ancient  race  died 
his  hoard  remained  alone,  unknown,  untouched,  until 
at  length  the  fiery  dragon,  seeking  a  shelter  among  the 
rocks,  found  the  hidden  way  to  the  cave,  and,  creeping 
within,  discovered  the  lofty  inner  chamber  and  the 
wondrous  hoard.  For  three  hundred  winters  he 
brooded  over  it  unchallenged,  and  then  one  day  a 
hunted  fugitive,  fleeing  from  the  fury  of  an  avenging 
chieftain,  in  like  manner  found  the  cave,  and  the  dragon 
sleeping  on  his  gold.  Terrified  almost  to  death,  the 
fugitive  eagerly  seized  a  marvellously  wrought  chalice 
and  bore  it  stealthily  away,  feeling  sure  that  such  an 
offering  would  appease  his  lord's  wrath  and  atone  for 
his  offence.  But  when  the  dragon  awoke  he  discovered 
that  he  had  been  robbed,  and  his  keen  scent  assured 
him  that  some  one  of  mankind  was  the  thief.  As  he 
could  not  at  once  see  the  robber,  he  crept  around  the 
outside  of  the  barrow  snuffing  eagerly  to  find  traces  of 
the  spoiler,  but  it  was  in  vain  ;  then,  growing  more 
wrathful,  he  flew  over  the  inhabited  country,  shedding 
fiery  death  from  his  glowing  scales  and  flaming  breath, 
while  no  man  dared  to  face  this  flying  horror  of  the 
night. 

The  news  came  to  Beowulf  that  his  folk  were  suffer- 
ing and  dying,  and  that  no  warrior  dared  to  risk  his 
life  in  an  effort  to  deliver  the  land  from  this  deadly 
devastation  ;  and  although  he  was  now  an  aged  man 
he  decided  to  attack  the  fire-drake.  Beowulf  knew 
that  he  would  not  be  able  to  come  to  hand-grips  with 
this  foe  as  he  had  done  with  Grendel  and  his  mother  : 
the  fiery  breath  of  this  dragon  was  far  too  deadly,  and 

33 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

he  must  trust  to  armour  for  protection.  He  commanded 
men  to  make  a  shield  entirely  of  iron,  for  he  knew 
that  the  usual  shield  of  linden-wood  would  be  instantly 
burnt  up  in  the  dragon's  flaming  breath.  He  then 
chose  with  care  eleven  warriors,  picked  men  of  his  own 
bodyguard,  to  accompany  him  in  this  dangerous  quest. 
They  compelled  the  unhappy  fugitive  whose  theft  had 
begun  the  trouble  to  act  as  their  guide,  and  thus  they 
marched  to  the  lonely  spot  where  the  dragon's  barrow 
stood  close  to  the  sea-shore.  The  guide  went  unwill- 
ingly, but  was  forced  thereto  by  his  lord,  because  he 
alone  knew  the  way. 

Beowulf  Faces  Death 

When  the  little  party  reached  the  place  they  halted 
for  a  time,  and  Beowulf  sat  down  meditating  sadly  on 
his  past  life,  and  on  the  chances  of  this  great  conflict 
which  he  was  about  to  begin.  When  he  had  striven 
with  Grendel,  when  he  had  fought  against  the  Hetware, 
he  had  been  confident  of  victory  and  full  of  joyous 
self-reliance,  but  now  things  were  changed.  Beowult 
was  an  old  man,  and  there  hung  over  him  a  sad 
foreboding  that  this  would  be  his  last  fight,  and  that 
he  would  rid  the  land  of  no  more  monsters.  Wyrd 
seemed  to  threaten  him,  and  a  sense  of  coming  woe 
lay  heavy  on  his  heart  as  he  spoke  to  his  little  troop : 
"  Many  great  fights  I  had  in  my  youth.  How  well  1 
remember  them  all  !  I  was  only  seven  years  old  when 
King  Hrethel  took  me  to  bring  up,  and  loved  me  as 
dearly  as  his  own  sons,  Herebeald,  Hathcyn,  or  my 
own  dear  lord  Hygelac.  Great  was  our  grief  when 
Hathcyn,  hunting  in  the  forest,  slew  all  unwittingly 
his  elder  brother  :  greater  than  ordinary  sorrow,  be- 
cause we  could  not  avenge  him  on  the  murderer  !  It 
would  have  given  no  joy  to  Hrethel  to  see  his  second 
34 


BEOWULF  AND  THE  FIRE-DRAGON 

son  killed  disgracefully  as  a  murderer  !  So  we  endured 
the  pain  till  King  Hrethel  died,  borne  down  by  his  bitter 
loss,  and  I  wept  for  my  protector,  my  kinsman.  Then 
Hathcyn  died  also,  slain  by  the  Swedes,  and  my  dear  lord 
Hygelac  came  to  the  throne :  he  was  gracious  to  me, 
a  giver  of  weapons,  a  generous  distributor  of  treasure, 
and  I  repaid  him  as  much  as  I  could  in  battle  against 
his  foes.  Daghrefn,  the  Prankish  warrior  who  slew 
my  king,  I  sent  to  his  doom  with  my  deadly  hand-grip  : 
he,  at  least,  should  not  show  my  lord's  armour  as 
trophy  of  his  prowess.  But  this  fight  is  different  : 
here  I  must  use  both  point  and  edge,  as  I  was  not 
wont  in  my  youth  :  but  here  too  will  I,  old  though  I 
be,  work  deeds  of  valour.  I  will  not  give  way  the 
space  of  one  foot,  but  will  meet  him  here  in  his  own 
abode  and  make  all  my  boasting  good.  Abide  ye 
here,  ye  warriors,  for  this  is  not  your  expedition,  nor 
the  work  of  any  man  but  me  alone  ;  wait  till  ye  know 
which  is  triumphant,  for  I  will  win  the  gold  and  save 
my  people,  or  death  shall  take  me."  So  saying  he 
raised  his  great  shield,  and,  unaccompanied,  set  his  face 
to  the  dark  entrance,  where  a  stream,  boiling  with 
strange  heat,  flowed  forth  from  the  cave  ;  so  hot  was 
the  air  that  he  stood,  unable  to  advance  far  for  the 
suffocating  steam  and  smoke.  Angered  by  his  im- 
potence, Beowulf  raised  his  voice  and  shouted  a  furious 
defiance  to  the  awesome  guardian  of  the  barrow.  Thus 
aroused,  the  dragon  sprang  up,  roaring  hideously  and 
flapping  his  glowing  wings  together ;  out  from  the 
recesses  of  the  barrow  came  his  fiery  breath,  and  then 
followed  the  terrible  beast  himself.  Coiling  and  writh- 
ing he  came,  with  head  raised,  and  scales  of  burnished 
blue  and  green,  glowing  with  inner  heat  ;  from  his 
nostrils  rushed  two  streams  of  fiery  breath,  and  his 
flaming  eyes  shot  flashes  of  consuming  fire.  He  half 
K  35 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
flew,  half  sprang  at  Beowulf.  But  the  hero  did  not 
retreat  one  step.  His  bright  sword  flashed  in  the  air  as  he 
wounded  the  beast,  but  not  mortally,  striking  a  mighty 
blow  on  his  scaly  head.  The  guardian  of  the  hoard 
writhed  and  was  stunned  for  a  moment,  and  then  sprang 
at  Beowulf,  sending  forth  so  dense  a  cloud  of  flaming 
breath  that  the  hero  stood  in  a  mist  of  fire.  So 
terrible  was  the  heat  that  the  iron  shield  glowed  red- 
hot  and  the  ring-mail  on  the  hero's  limbs  seared  him 
as  a  furnace,  and  his  breast  swelled  with  the  keen  pain  : 
so  terrible  was  the  fiery  cloud  that  the  Geats,  seated 
some  distance  away,  turned  and  fled,  seeking  the  cool 
shelter  of  the  neighbouring  woods,  and  left  their  heroic 
lord  to  suffer  and  die  alone. 

Beowulf's  Death 

Among  the  cowardly  Geats,  however,  there  was  one 
who  thought  it  shameful  to  flee — Wiglaf,  the  son  of 
Wcohstan.  He  was  young,  but  a  brave  warrior,  to 
whom  Beowulf  had  shown  honour,  and  on  whom  he  had 
showered  gifts,  for  he  was  a  kinsman,  and  had  proved 
himself  worthy.  Now  he  showed  that  Beowulf's  favour 
had  been  justified,  for  he  seized  his  shield,  of  yellow 
linden-wood,  took  his  ancient  sword  in  hand,  and  pre- 
pared to  rush  to  Beowulf's  aid.  With  bitter  words 
he  reproached  his  cowardly  comrades,  saying  :  "  I  re- 
member how  we  boasted,  as  we  sat  in  the  mead  hall 
and  drank  the  foaming  ale,  as  we  took  gladly  the  gold 
and  jewels  which  our  king  lavished  upon  us,  that  we 
would  repay  him  for  all  his  gifts,  if  ever  such  need  there 
werel  Now  is  the  need  come  upon  him,  and  we  are 
here  1  Beowulf  chose  us  from  all  his  bodyguard  to 
help  him  in  this  mighty  struggle,  and  we  have  betrayed 
and  deserted  him,  and  left  him  alone  against  a  terrible 
foe.  Now  the  day  has  come  when  our  lord  should 
36 


Both  warriors  stood   behind  the  iron  shield  "  36 


BEOmJLFS  DEATH 

see  our  valour,  and  we  flee  from  his  side  !  Up,  let  us 
go  and  aid  him,  even  while  the  grim  battle-flame  flares 
around  him.  God  knows  that  1  would  rather  risk  my 
body  in  the  fiery  cloud  than  stay  here  while  my  king 
fights  and  dies  !  Not  such  disloyalty  has  Beowulf 
deserved  through  his  long  reign  that  he  should  stand 
alone  in  the  death-struggle.  He  and  I  will  die  together, 
or  side  by  side  will  we  conquer."  The  youthful  warrior 
tried  in  vain  to  rouse  the  courage  of  his  companions  : 
they  trembled,  and  would  not  move.  So  Wiglaf, 
holding  on  high  his  shield,  plunged  into  the  fiery  cloud 
and  moved  towards  his  king,  crying  aloud  :  "  Beowulf, 
my  dear  lord,  let  not  thy  glory  be  dimmed.  Achieve 
this  last  deed  of  valour,  as  thou  didst  promise  in  days  of 
yore,  that  thy  fame  should  not  fall,  and  I  will  aid  thee." 
The  sound  of  another  voice  roused  the  dragon  to 
greater  fury,  and  again  came  the  fiery  cloud,  burning 
up  like  straw  Wiglaf 's  linden  shield,  and  torturing  both 
warriors  as  they  stood  behind  the  iron  shield  with  their 
heated  armour.  But  they  fought  on  manfully,  and 
Beowulf,  gathering  up  his  strength,  struck  the  dragon 
such  a  blow  on  the  head  that  his  ancient  sword  was 
shivered  to  fragments.  The  dragon,  enraged,  now 
flew  at  Beowulf  and  seized  him  by  the  neck  with  his 
poisonous  fangs,  so  that  the  blood  gushed  out  in 
streams,  and  ran  down  his  corslet.  Wiglaf  was  filled 
with  grief  and  horror  at  this  dreadful  sight,  and,  leaving 
the  protection  of  Beowulf's  iron  shield,  dashed  forth  at 
the  dragon,  piercing  the  scaly  body  in  a  vital  part.  At 
once  the  fire  began  to  fade  away,  and  Beowulf,  master- 
ing his  anguish,  drew  his  broad  knife,  and  with  a  last 
effort  cut  the  hideous  reptile  asunder.  Then  the  agony 
of  the  envenomed  wound  came  upon  him,  and  his  limbs 
burnt  and  ached  with  intolerable  pain.  In  growing  dis- 
tress he  staggered  to  a  rough  ancient  seat,  carved  out 

37 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

of  the  rock,  hard  by  the  door  of  the  barrow.  There 
he  sank  down,  and  Wiglaf  laved  his  brow  with  water 
from  the  little  stream,  which  boiled  and  steamed  no 
longer.  Then  Beowulf  partially  recovered  himself, 
and  said:  "Now  I  bequeath  to  thee,  my  son,  the 
armour  which  I  also  inherited.  Fifty  years  have  I 
ruled  this  people  in  peace,  so  that  none  of  my  neigh- 
bours durst  attack  us.  I  have  endured  and  toiled  much 
on  this  earth,  have  held  my  own  justly,  have  pursued 
none  with  crafty  hatred,  nor  sworn  unjust  oaths.  At  all 
this  may  I  rejoice  now  that  I  lie  mortally  wounded. 
Do  thou,  O  dear  Wiglaf,  bring  forth  quickly  from  the 
cave  the  treasures  for  which  I  lose  my  life,  that  I  may 
see  them  and  be  glad  in  my  nation's  wealth  ere  I  die." 
Thereupon  Wiglaf  entered  the  barrow,  and  was  dazed 
by  the  bewildering  hoard  of  costly  treasures.  Filling 
his  arms  with  such  a  load  as  he  could  carry,  he  hastened 
out  of  the  barrow,  fearing  even  then  to  find  his  lord  dead. 
Then  he  flung  down  the  treasures — magic  armour, 
dwarf-wrought  swords,  carved  goblets,  flashing  gems, 
and  a  golden  standard — at  Beowulf's  feet,  so  that  the 
ancient  hero's  dying  gaze  could  fall  on  the  hoard  he 
had  won  for  his  people.  But  Beowulf  was  now  so  near 
death  that  he  swooned  away,  till  Wiglaf  again  flung 
water  over  him,  and  the  dying  champion  roused  himself 
to  say,  as  he  grasped  his  kinsman's  hand  and  looked 
at  the  glittering  heap  before  him  : 

"  I  thank  God  eternal,      the  great  King  of  Glory, 
For  the  vast  treasures      which  I  here  gaze  upon, 
That  I  ere  my  death-day      might  for  my  people 
"Win  so  great  wealth.       Since  I  have  given  my  life, 
Thou  must  now  look  to      the  needs  of  the  nation  ; 
Here  dwell  I  no  longer,       for  Destiny  calleth  me  ! 
Bid  thou  my  warriors      after  my  funeral  pyre 
Build  me  a  burial-cairn      high  on  the  sea-cliff's  head  ; 
It  shall  for  memory      tower  up  on  Hronesness, 


BEOWULFS  DEATH 

So  that  the  seafarers      Beowulf  s  Barrow 

Henceforth  shall  name  it,      they  who  drive  far  and  wide 

Over  the  mighty  flood      their  foamy  keels. 

Thou  art  the  last  of  all      the  kindred  of  Wagmund  ! 

Wyrd  has  swept  all  my  kin,       all  the  brave  chiefs  away  ! 

Now  must  I  follow  them  !  " 

These  last  words  spoken,  Beowulf  fell  back,  and  his 
soul  passed  away,  to  meet  the  joy  reserved  for  all  true 
and  steadfast  spirits.  The  hero  was  dead,  but  amid  his 
grief  Wiglaf  yet  remembered  that  the  dire  monster  too 
lay  dead,  and  the  folk  were  delivered  from  the  horrible 
plague,  though  at  terrible  cost !  Wiglaf,  as  he  mourned 
over  his  dead  lord,  resolved  that  no  man  should  joy  in 
the  treasures  for  which  so  grievous  a  price  had  been 
paid — the  cowards  who  deserted  their  king  should  help 
to  lay  the  treasures  in  his  grave  and  bury  them  far 
from  human  use  and  profit.  Accordingly,  when  the 
ten  faithless  dastards  ventured  out  from  the  shelter  of 
the  wood,  and  came  shamefacedly  to  the  place  where 
Wiglaf  sat,  sorrowing,  at  the  head  of  dead  Beowulf, 
he  stilled  their  cries  of  grief  with  one  wave  of  the  hand, 
which  had  still  been  vainly  striving  to  arouse  his  king 
by  gentle  touch,  and,  gazing  scornfully  at  them,  he  cried  : 
"  Lo  !  well  may  a  truthful  man  say,  seeing  you  here, 
safely  in  the  war-gear  and  ornaments  which  our  dead 
hero  gave  you,  that  Beowulf  did  but  throw  away  his 
generous  gifts,  since  all  he  bought  with  them  was 
treachery  and  cowardice  in  the  day  of  battle  !  No  need 
had  Beowulf  to  boast  of  his  warriors  in  time  of  danger  ! 
Yet  he  alone  avenged  his  people  and  conquered  the 
fiend — I  could  help  him  but  little  in  the  fray,  though  I 
did  what  I  could  :  all  too  few  champions  thronged 
round  our  hero  when  his  need  was  sorest.  Now  are  all 
the  joys  of  love  and  loyalty  ended ;  now  is  all  pros- 
perity gone  from  our  nation,  when  foreign  princes 

39 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

hear  of  your  flight  and  the  shameless  deed  of  this 
day.  Better  is  death  to  every  man  than  a  life  of 
shame  ! " 

The  Geats  stood  silent,  abashed  before  the  keen 
and  deserved  reproaches  of  the  young  hero,  and  they 
lamented  the  livelong  day.  None  left  the  shore  and 
their  lord's  dead  corpse  ;  but  one  man  who  rode  over 
the  clifF  near  by  saw  the  mournful  little  band,  with 
Beowulf  dead  in  the  midst.  This  warrior  galloped 
away  to  tell  the  people,  saying  :  "  Now  is  our  ruler,  the 
lord  of  the  Geats,  stretched  dead  on  the  plain,  stricken 
by  the  dragon  which  lies  dead  beside  him  ;  and  at  his 
head  sits  Wiglaf,  son  of  Weohstan,  lamenting  his  royal 
kinsman.  Now  is  the  joy  and  prosperity  of  our  folk 
vanished  !  Now  shall  our  enemies  make  raids  upon 
us,  for  we  have  none  to  withstand  them  !  But  let  us 
hasten  to  bury  our  king,  to  bear  him  royally  to  his 
grave,  with  mourning  and  tears  of  woe."  These  un- 
happy tidings  roused  the  Geats,  and  they  hastened  to 
see  if  it  were  really  true,  and  found  all  as  the  messenger 
had  said,  and  wondered  at  the  mighty  dragon  and  the 
glorious  hoard  of  gold.  They  feared  the  monster  and 
coveted  the  treasure,  but  all  felt  that  the  command  now 
lay  with  Wiglaf.  At  last  Wiglaf  roused  himself  from  his 
silent  grief  and  said  :  "  O  men  of  the  Geats,  I  am  not 
to  blame  that  our  king  lies  here  lifeless.  He  would 
fight  the  dragon  and  win  the  treasure  ;  and  these  he 
has  done,  though  he  lost  his  life  therein  ;  yea,  and  I  aided 
him  all  that  I  might,  though  it  was  but  little  I  could  do. 
Now  our  dear  lord  Beowulf  bade  me  greet  you  from 
him,  and  bid  you  to  make  for  him,  after  his  funeral 
pyre,  a  great  and  mighty  cairn,  even  as  he  was  the 
most  glorious  of  men  in  his  lifetime.  Bring  ye  all  the 
treasures,  bring  quickly  a  bier,  and  place  thereon  our 
king's  corpse,  and  let  us  bear  our  dear  lord  to  Hrones- 
40 


BEOWULF'S  DEATH 

ness,  where  his  funeral  fire  shall  be  kindled,  and  his 
burial  cairn  built." 

The  Geats,  bitterly  grieving,  fulfilled  Wiglaf 's  com- 
mands. They  gathered  wood  for  the  fire,  and  piled 
it  on  the  cliff-head ;  then  eight  chosen  ones  brought 
thither  the  treasures,  and  threw  the  dragon's  body  over 
the  cliff  into  the  sea ;  then  a  wain,  hung  with  shields, 
was  brought  to  bear  the  corpse  of  Beowulf  to  Hroncs- 
ness,  where  it  was  solemnly  laid  on  the  funeral  pile  and 
consumed  to  ashes. 

"  There  then  the  Weder  Geats      wrought  for  their  ruler  dead 
A  cairn  on  the  ocean  cliff      widespread  and  lofty, 
Visible  far  and  near      by  vessels'  wandering  crews. 
They  built  in  ten  days'  space      the  hero's  monument, 
And  wrought  with  shining  swords      the  earthen  rampart  wall, 
So  that  the  wisest  men      worthy  might  deem  it. 
Then  in  that  cairn  they  placed      necklets  and  rings  and  gems 
Which  from  the  dragon's  hoard      brave  men  had  taken. 
Back  to  the  earth  they  gave      treasures  of  ancient  folk, 
Gold  to  the  gloomy  mould,      where  it  now  lieth 
Useless  to  sons  of  men      as  it  e'er  was  of  yore. 
Then  round  the  mound  there  rode      twelve  manly  warriors, 
Chanting  their  bitter  grief,      singing  the  hero  dead, 
Mourning  their  noble  king      in  fitting  words  of  woe  ! 
They  praised  his  courage  high       and  his  proud,  valiant  deeds, 
Honoured  him  worthily,      as  it  is  meet  for  men 
Duly  to  praise  in  words      their  friendly  lord  and  king 
When  his  soul  wanders  forth       far  from  its  fleshly  home. 
So  all  the  Geat  chiefs,       Beowulf's  bodyguard, 
Wept  for  their  leader's  fall  :      sang  in  their  loud  laments 
That  he  of  earthly  kings       mildest  to  all  men  was, 
Gentlest,  most  gracious,      most  keen  to  win  glory." 


CHAPTER  II :  THE  DREAM  OF 
MAXEN  WLEDIG 

The  Position  of  Constantinc 

IT  would  seem  that  the  Emperor  Constantine  tne 
Great  loomed  very  large  in  the  eyes  of  mediaeval 
England.  Even  in  Anglo-Saxon  times  many 
legends  clustered  round  his  name,  so  that  Cynewulf, 
the  religious  poet  of  early  England,  wrote  the  poem 
of "  Elene "  mainly  on  the  subject  of  his  conversion. 
The  story  of  the  Vision  of  the  Holy  Cross  with  the 
inscription  In  hoc  signd  vinces  was  inspiring  to  a  poet  to 
whom  the  heathen  were  a  living  reality,  not  a  distant 
abstraction  ;  and  Constantine's  generosity  to  the  Church 
of  Rome  and  its  bishop  Sylvester  added  another  element 
of  attraction  to  his  character  in  the  mediaeval  mind. 
It  is  hardly  surprising  that  other  legends  of  his  conver- 
sion and  generosity  should  have  sprung  up,  which  differ 
entirely  from  the  earlier  and  more  authentic  record. 
Thus  "  the  moral  Gower "  has  preserved  for  us  an 
alternative  legend  of  the  cause  of  Constantine's  conver- 
sion, which  forms  a  good  illustration  of  the  virtue  of 
pity  in  the  "  Confessio  Amantis."  Whence  this  later 
legend  sprang  we  have  no  knowledge,  for  nothing  in 
the  known  history  of  Constantine  warrants  our  regard- 
ing him  as  a  disciple  of  mercy,  but  its  existence  shows 
that  the  mediaeval  mind  was  busied  with  his  personality. 
Another  most  interesting  proof  of  his  importance  to 
Britain  is  given  in  the  following  legend  of  "  The  Dream 
of  Maxen  Wledig,"  preserved  in  the  "  Mabinogion." 
This  belongs  to  the  Welsh  patriotic  legends,  and  tends 
to  glorify  the  marriage  of  the  British  Princess  Helena 
with  the  Roman  emperor,  by  representing  it  as  pre- 
ordained by  Fate.  The  fact  that  the  hero  of  the  Welsh 
saga  is  the  Emperor  Maxentius  instead  of  Constantius 
4* 


THE  EMPEROR  MAXEN  WLEDIG 
detracts  little  from  the  interest  of  the  legend,  which  is 
only  one  instance  of  the  well-known  theme  of  the  lover 
led  by  dream,  or  vision,  or  magic  glass  to  the  home  and 
heart  of  the  beloved. 

The  Emperor  Maxen  Wledig 

The  Emperor  Maxen  Wledig  was  the  most  powerful 
occupant  of  the  throne  of  the  Caesars  who  had  ever 
ruled  Europe  from  the  City  of  the  Seven  Hills.  He 
was  the  most  handsome  man  in  his  dominions,  tall  and 
strong  and  skilled  in  all  manly  exercises  ;  withal  he 
was  gracious  and  friendly  to  all  his  vassals  and  tributary 
kings,  so  that  he  was  universally  beloved.  One  day  he 
announced  his  wish  to  go  hunting,  and  was  accompanied 
on  his  expedition  down  the  Tiber  valley  by  thirty-two 
vassal  kings,  with  whom  he  enjoyed  the  sport  heartily. 
At  noon  the  heat  was  intense,  they  were  far  from  Rome, 
and  all  were  weary.  The  emperor  proposed  a  halt,  and 
they  dismounted  to  take  rest.  Maxen  lay  down  to 
sleep  with  his  head  on  a  shield,  and  soldiers  and  attend- 
ants stood  around  making  a  shelter  for  him  from  the 
sun's  rays  by  a  roof  of  shields  hung  on  their  spears. 
Thus  he  fell  into  a  sleep  so  deep  that  none  dared  to 
awake  him.  Hours  passed  by,  and  still  he  slumbered,  and 
still  his  whole  retinue  waited  impatiently  for  his  awaken- 
ing. At  length,  when  the  evening  shadows  began  to 
lie  long  and  black  on  the  ground,  their  impatience  found 
vent  in  little  restless  movements  of  hounds  chafing  in 
their  leashes,  of  spears  clashing,  of  shields  dropping 
from  the  weariness  of  their  holders,  and  horses  neighing 
and  prancing ;  and  then  Maxen  Wledig  awoke  suddenly 
with  a  start.  "  Ah,  why  did  you  arouse  me  ?  "  he  asked 
sadly.  "  Lord,  your  dinner  hour  is  long  past — did  you 
not  know  ? "  they  said.  He  shook  his  head  mournfully, 
but  said  no  word,  and,  mounting  his  horse,  turned  it 

43 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

and  rode  in  unbroken  silence  back  to  Rome,  with  his 
head  sunk  on  his  breast.  Behind  him  rode  in  dismay 
his  retinue  of  kings  and  tributaries,  who  knew  nothing 
of  the  cause  of  his  sorrowful  mood. 

The  Emperor's  Malady 

From  that  day  the  emperor  was  changed,  changed 
utterly.  He  rode  no  more,  he  hunted  no  more,  he  paid 
no  heed  to  the  business  of  the  empire,  but  remained 
in  seclusion  in  his  own  apartments  and  slept.  The 
court  banquets  continued  without  him,  music  and  song 
he  refused  to  hear,  and  though  in  his  sleep  he  smiled 
and  was  happy,  when  he  awoke  his  melancholy  could 
not  be  cheered  or  his  gloom  lightened.  When  this 
condition  of  things  had  continued  for  more  than  a  week 
it  was  determined  that  the  emperor  must  be  aroused 
from  this  dreadful  state  of  apathy,  and  his  groom  of 
the  chamber,  a  noble  Roman  of  very  high  rank — indeed, 
a  king,  under  the  emperor — resolved  to  make  the 
endeavour. 

"  My  lord,"  said  he,  "  I  have  evil  tidings  for  you. 
The  people  of  Rome  are  beginning  to  murmur  against 
you,  because  of  the  change  that  has  come  over  you. 
They  say  that  you  are  bewitched,  that  they  can  get  no 
answers  or  decisions  from  you,  and  all  the  affairs  of  the 
empire  go  to  wrack  and  ruin  while  you  sleep  and  take 
no  heed.  You  have  ceased  to  be  their  emperor,  they 
say,  and  they  will  cease  to  be  loyal  to  you." 

The  Dream  of  the  Emperor 

Then  Maxen  Wledig  roused  himself  and  said  to  the 
noble :  "  Call  hither  my  wisest  senators  and  councillors, 
and  I  will  explain  the  cause  of  my  melancholy,  and 
perhaps  they  will  be  able  to  give  me  relief."  Accord- 
ingly the  senators  came  together,  and  the  emperor 
44 


THE  DREAM  OF  THE  EMPEROR 

ascended  his  throne,  looking  so  mournful  that  the 
whole  Senate  grieved  for  him,  and  feared  lest  death 
should  speedily  overtake  him.  He  began  to  address 
them  thus  : 

"  Senators  and  Sages  of  Rome,  I  have  heard  that  my 
people  murmur  against  me,  and  will  rebel  if  I  do  not 
arouse  myself.  A  terrible  fate  has  fallen  upon  me,  and 
I  see  no  way  of  escape  from  my  misery,  unless  ye  can 
find  one.  It  is  now  more  than  a  week  since  I  went 
hunting  with  my  court,  and  when  I  was  wearied  I  dis- 
mounted and  slept.  In  my  sleep  I  dreamt,  and  a  vision 
cast  its  spell  upon  me,  so  that  I  feel  no  happiness  unless 
I  am  sleeping,  and  seem  to  live  only  in  my  dreams. 
I  thought  I  was  hunting  along  the  Tiber  valley,  lost  my 
courtiers,  and  rode  to  the  head  of  the  valley  alone. 
There  the  river  flowed  forth  from  a  great  mountain, 
which  looked  to  me  the  highest  in  the  world  ;  but  I 
ascended  it,  and  found  beyond  fair  and  fertile  plains, 
far  vaster  than  any  in  our  Italy,  with  mighty  rivers  flow- 
ing through  the  lovely  country  to  the  sea.  I  followed 
the  course  of  the  greatest  river,  and  reached  its  mouth, 
where  a  noble  port  stood  on  the  shores  of  a  sea  unknown 
to  me.  In  the  harbour  lay  a  fleet  of  well-appointed 
ships,  and  one  of  these  was  most  beautifully  adorned, 
its  planks  covered  with  gold  or  silver,  and  its  sails  of 
silk.  As  a  gangway  of  carved  ivory  led  to  the  deck,  I 
crossed  it  and  entered  the  vessel,  which  immediately 
sailed  out  of  the  harbour  into  the  ocean.  The  voyage 
was  not  of  long  duration,  for  we  soon  came  to  land  in 
a  wondrously  beautiful  island,  with  scenery  of  varied 
loveliness.  This  island  I  traversed,  led  by  some  secret 
guidance,  till  I  reached  its  farthest  shore,  broken  by 
cliffs  and  precipices  and  mountain  ranges,  while  between 
the  mountains  and  the  sea  I  saw  a  fair  and  fruitful  land 
traversed  by  a  silvery,  winding  river,  with  a  castle  at  its 

45 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

mouth.  My  longing  drew  me  to  the  castle,  and  when 
I  came  to  the  gate  I  entered,  for  the  dwelling  stood 
open  to  every  man,  and  such  a  hall  as  was  therein  I 
have  never  seen  for  splendour,  even  in  Imperial  Rome. 
The  walls  were  covered  with  gold,  set  with  precious 
gems,  the  seats  were  of  gold  and  the  tables  of  silver, 
and  two  fair  youths,  whom  I  saw  playing  chess,  used 
pieces  of  gold  on  a  board  of  silver.  Their  attire  was  of 
black  satin  embroidered  with  gold,  and  golden  circlets 
were  on  their  brows.  I  gazed  at  the  youths  for  a 
moment,  and  next  became  aware  of  an  aged  man  sitting 
near  them.  His  carved  ivory  seat  was  adorned  with 
golden  eagles,  the  token  of  Imperial  Rome  ;  his  orna- 
ments on  arms  and  hands  and  neck  were  of  bright 
gold,  and  he  was  carving  fresh  chessmen  from  a  rod  of 
solid  gold.  Beside  him  sat,  on  a  golden  chair,  a  maiden 
(the  loveliest  in  the  whole  world  she  seemed,  and  still 
seems,  to  me).  White  was  her  inner  dress  under  a  golden 
overdress,  her  crown  of  gold  adorned  with  rubies  and 
pearls,  and  a  golden  girdle  encircled  her  slender  waist. 
The  beauty  of  her  face  won  my  love  in  that  moment, 
and  I  knelt  and  said  :  f  Hail,  Empress  of  Rome  ! '  but 
as  she  bent  forward  from  her  seat  to  greet  me  I  awoke. 
Now  I  have  no  peace  and  no  joy  except  in  sleep,  for  in 
dreams  I  always  see  my  lady,  and  in  dreams  we  love 
each  other  and  are  happy  ;  therefore  in  dreams  will  I 
live,  unless  ye  can  find  some  way  to  satisfy  my  longing 
while  I  wake." 

The  Quest  for  the  Maiden 

The  senators  were  at  first  greatly  amazed,  and  then 
one  of  them  said  :  "  My  lord,  will  you  not  send  out 
messengers  to  seek  throughout  all  your  lands  for  the 
maiden  in  the  castle  ?  Let  each  group  of  messengers 
search  for  one  year,  and  return  at  the  end  of  the  year 
46 


The  dream  of  the  Emperor 


THE  QUEST  FOR  THE  MAIDEN 
with  tidings.  So  shall  you  live  in  good  hope  of  success 
from  year  to  year."  The  messengers  were  sent  out 
accordingly,  with  wands  in  their  hands  and  a  sleeve  tied 
on  each  cap,  in  token  of  peace  and  of  an  embassy  ; 
but  though  they  searched  with  all  diligence,  after  three 
years  three  separate  embassies  had  brought  back  no 
news  of  the  mysterious  land  and  the  beauteous 
maiden. 

Then  the  groom  of  the  chamber  said  to  Maxen 
Wledig  :  "  My  lord,  will  you  not  go  forth  to  hunt,  as 
on  the  day  when  you  dreamt  this  enthralling  dream  ?" 
To  this  the  emperor  agreed,  and  rode  to  the  place  in 
the  valley  where  he  had  slept.  "  Here,"  he  said,  "  my 
dream  began,  and  I  seemed  to  follow  the  river  to  its 
source."  Then  the  groom  of  the  chamber  said:  "Will 
you  not  send  messengers  to  the  river's  source,  my 
lord,  and  bid  them  follow  the  track  of  your  dream  ?  " 
Accordingly  thirteen  messengers  were  sent,  who  followed 
the  river  up  until  it  issued  from  the  highest  mountain 
they  had  ever  seen.  "  Behold  our  emperor's  dream  !  " 
they  exclaimed,  and  they  ascended  the  mountain,  and 
descended  the  other  side  into  a  most  beautiful  and 
fertile  plain,  as  Maxen  Wledig  had  seen  in  his  dream. 
Following  the  greatest  river  of  all  (probably  the  Rhine), 
the  ambassadors  reached  the  great  seaport  on  the  North 
Sea,  and  found  the  fleet  waiting  with  one  vessel  larger 
than  all  the  others  ;  and  they  entered  the  ship  and  were 
carried  to  the  fair  island  of  Britain.  Here  they  journeyed 
westward,  and  came  to  the  mountainous  land  of 
Snowdon,  whence  they  could  see  the  sacred  isle  of  Mona 
(Anglesey)  and  the  fertile  land  of  Arvon  lying  between 
the  mountains  and  the  sea.  "  This,"  said  the  messengers, 
"is  the  land  of  our  master's  dream,  and  in  yon  fair 
castle  we  shall  find  the  maiden  whom  our  emperor 
loves." 

47 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Finding  of  the  Maiden 

So  they  went  through  the  lovely  land  of  Arvon  to 
the  castle  of  Caernarvon,  and  in  that  lordly  fortress  was 
the  great  hall,  with  the  two  youths  playing  chess,  the 
venerable  man  carving  chessmen,  and  the  maiden  in  her 
chair  of  gold.  When  the  ambassadors  saw  the  fair 
Princess  Helena  they  fell  on  their  knees  before  her 
and  said  :  "  Empress  of  Rome,  all  hail !  "  But  Helena 
half  rose  from  her  seat  in  anger  as  she  said :  "  What 
does  this  mockery  mean  ?  You  seem  to  be  men  of 
gentle  breeding,  and  you  wear  the  badge  of  messengers  : 
whence  comes  it,  then,  that  ye  mock  me  thus  ?  "  But 
the  ambassadors  calmed  her  anger,  saying  :  "  Be  not 
wroth,  lady  :  this  is  no  mockery,  for  the  Emperor  of 
Rome,  the  great  lord  Maxen  Wledig,  has  seen  you  in 
a  dream,  and  he  has  sworn  to  wed  none  but  you. 
Which,  therefore,  will  you  choose,  to  accompany  us  to 
Rome,  and  there  be  made  empress,  or  to  wait  here 
until  the  emperor  can  come  to  you  ? "  The  princess 
thought  deeply  for  a  time,  and  then  replied  :  "  I  would 
not  be  too  credulous,  or  too  hard  of  belief.  If  the 
emperor  loves  me  and  would  wed  me,  let  him  find  me 
in  my  father's  house,  and  make  me  his  bride  in  my 
own  home." 

The  Dream  Realized 

After  this  the  thirteen  envoys  departed,  and  returned 
to  the  emperor  in  such  haste  that  when  their  horses 
failed  they  gave  no  need,  but  took  others  and  pressed 
on.  When  they  reached  Rome  and  informed  Maxen 
Wledig  of  the  success  of  their  mission  he  at  once 
gathered  his  army  and  marched  across  Europe  towards 
Britain.  When  the  Roman  emperor  had  crossed  the 
sea  he  conquered  Britain  from  Beli  the  son  of  Manogan, 


THE  DREAM  REALISED 

and  made  his  way  to  Arvon.  On  entering  the  castle  he 
saw  first  the  two  youths,  Kynon  and  Adeon,  playing 
chess,  then  their  father,  Eudav,  the  son  of  Caradoc, 
and  then  his  beloved,  the  beauteous  Helena,  daughter 
of  Eudav.  "  Empress  of  Rome,  all  hail !  "  Maxen 
Wledig  said  ;  and  the  princess  bent  forward  in  her  chair 
and  kissed  him,  for  she  knew  he  was  her  destined 
husband.  The  next  day  they  were  wedded,  and  the 
Emperor  Maxen  Wledig  gave  Helena  as  dowry  all 
Britain  for  her  father,  the  son  of  the  gallant  Caradoc, 
and  for  herself  three  castles,  Caernarvon,  Caerlleon,  and 
Caermarthen,  where  she  dwelt  in  turn  ;  and  in  one  of 
them  was  born  her  son  Constantine,  the  only  British- 
born  Emperor  of  Rome.  To  this  day  in  Wales  the 
old  Roman  roads  that  connected  Helena's  three  castles 
are  known  as  "  Sarn  Helen." 


49 


CHAPTER  III :  THE  STORY  OF 
CONST ANTINE  AND  ELENE 

The  Greatness  of  Constantine  Provokes  Attack 

IN  the  year  312,  the  sixth  year  after  Constantine 
had  become  emperor,  the  Roman  Empire  had 
increased  on  every  hand,  for  Constantine  was  a 
mighty  leader  in  war,  a  gracious  and  friendly  lord  in 
peace  ;  he  was  a  true  king  and  ruler,  a  protector  of  all 
men.  So  mightily  did  he  prosper  that  his  enemies 
assembled  great  armies  against  him,  and  a  confederation 
to  overthrow  him  was  made  by  the  terrible  Huns,  the 
famous  Goths,  the  brave  Franks,  and  the  warlike 
Hugas.  This  powerful  confederation  sent  against 
Constantine  an  overwhelming  army  of  Huns,  whose 
numbers  seemed  to  be  countless,  and  yet  the  Hunnish 
leaders  feared,  when  they  knew  that  the  emperor  him- 
self led  the  small  Roman  host. 

The  Eve  of  the  Battle 

The  night  before  the  battle  Constantine  lay  sadly 
in  the  midst  of  his  army,  watching  the  stars,  and  dread- 
ing the  result  of  the  next  day's  conflict  ;  for  his 
warriors  were  few  compared  with  the  Hunnish  multi- 
tude, and  even  Roman  discipline  and  devotion  might 
not  win  the  day  against  the  mad  fury  of  the  barbarous 
Huns.  At  last,  wearied  out,  the  emperor  slept,  and  a 
vision  came  to  him  in  his  sleep.  He  seemed  to  see, 
standing  by  him,  a  beautiful  shining  form,  a  man  more 
glorious  than  the  sons  of  men,  who,  as  Constantine 
sprang  up  ready  helmed  for  war,  addressed  him  by 
name.  The  darkness  of  night  fled  before  the  heavenly 
light  that  shone  from  the  angel,  and  the  messenger 
said : 


THE  CORNING  OF  BATTLE 

u  O  Constantinus,  the  Ruler  of  Angels, 
The  Lord  of  all  glory,  the  Master  of  heaven's  hosts, 
Claims  from  thee  homage.     Be  not  thou  affrighted, 
Though  armies  of  aliens  array  them  for  battle, 
Though  terrible  warriors  threaten  fierce  conflict. 
Look  thou  to  the  sky,  to  the  throne  of  His  glory  ; 
There  seest  thou  surely  the  symbol  of  conquest." 

Elene. 

Vision  of  the  Cross 

Constantine  looked  up  as  the  angel  bade  him,  and 
saw,  hovering  in  the  air,  a  cross,  splendid,  glorious, 
adorned  with  gems  and  shining  with  heavenly  light. 
On  its  wood  letters  were  engraved,  gleaming  with 
unearthly  radiance  : 

"With  this  shalt  thou  conquer  the  foe  in  the  conflict, 
And  with  it  shalt  hurl  back  the  host  of  the  heathen." 

Elene. 

Constantine  is  Cheered 

Constantine  read  these  words  with  awe  and  gladness, 
for  indeed  he  knew  not  what  deity  had  thus  favoured 
him,  but  he  would  not  reject  the  help  of  the  Unknown 
God  ;  so  he  bowed  his  head  in  reverence,  and  when 
he  looked  again  the  cross  and  the  angel  had  disappeared, 
and  around  him  as  he  woke  was  the  greyness  of  the 
rising  dawn.  The  emperor  summoned  to  his  tent  two 
soldiers  from  the  troops,  and  bade  them  make  a  cross 
of  wood  to  bear  before  the  army.  This  they  did, 
greatly  marvelling,  and  Constantine  called  a  standard- 
bearer,  to  whom  he  gave  charge  to  bear  forward  the 
Standard  of  the  Cross  where  the  danger  was  greatest 
and  the  battle  most  fierce. 

The  Morning  of  Battle 

When  the  day  broke,  and  the  two  armies  could  see 
each  other,  both  hosts  arrayed  themselves  for  battle, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

in  serried  ranks  of  armed  warriors,  shouting  their  war- 
cries. 

"Loud sang  the  trumpets  to  stern-mindedUbemen  •'. 
The  dewy-winged  eagle  watched  them  march  onward, 
The  horny-billed  raven  rejoiced  in  the  battle-play, 
The  sly  wolf,  the  forest-thief,  soon  saw  his  heart's  desire 
As  the  fierce  warriors  rushed  at  each  other. 
Great  was  the  shield-breaking,  loud  was  the  clamour, 
Hard  were  the  hand-blows,  and  dire  was  the  downfall, 
When  first  the  heroes  felt  the  keen  arrow-shower. 
Soon  did  the  Roman  host  fall  on  the  death-doomed  Huns, 
Thrust  forth  their  deadly  spears  over  the  yellow  shields, 
Broke  with  their  bat  tie- glaives  breasts  of  the  foemen." 

Elenc. 

The  Cross  is  Raised 

Then,  when  the  battle  was  at  its  height,  and  the 
Romans  knew  not  whether  they  would  conquer  or  die 
fighting  to  the  last,  the  standard-bearer  raised  the 
Cross,  the  token  of  promised  victory,  before  all  the 
host,  and  sang  the  chant  of  triumph.  Onward  he 
marched,  and  the  Roman  host  followed  him,  pressing 
on  resistless  as  the  surging  waves.  The  Huns,  be- 
wildered by  the  strange  rally,  and  dreading  the 
mysterious  sign  of  some  mighty  god,  rolled  back,  at 
first  slowly,  and  then  more  and  more  quickly,  till  sullen 
retreat  became  panic  rout,  and  they  broke  and  fled. 
Multitudes  were  cut  down  as  they  fled,  other  multi- 
tudes were  swept  away  by  the  devouring  Danube  as 
they  tried  to  cross  its  current ;  some,  half  dead, 
reached  the  other  side,  and  saved  their  lives  in 
fortresses,  guarding  the  steep  cliffs  beyond  the  Danube. 
Few,  very  few  they  were  who  ever  saw  their  native  land 
again. 

There  was  great  rejoicing  in  the  Roman  army  and 
in  the  Roman  camp  when  Constantine  returned  in 
triumph  with  the  wondrous  Cross  borne  before  him. 
5* 


There  came  from  heaven  a  leaping  flame,  which  touched 
the  surface  of  the  ground  here  and  there" 


CONSTANTINE'S  CONVERSION 

He  passed  on  to  the  city,  and  the  people  of  Rome  gazed 
with  awe  on  the  token  of  the  Unknown  God  who  had 
saved  their  city,  but  none  would  say  who  that  God 
might  be. 

A  Council  Summoned 

The  emperor  summoned  a  great  council  of  all  the 
wisest  men  in  Rome,  and  when  all  were  met  he  raised 
the  Standard  of  the  Cross  in  the  midst  and  said  : 

"  Can  any  man  tell  me,  by  spells  or  by  ancient  lore, 
Who  is  the  gracious  God,  giver  of  victory, 
Who  came  in  His  glory,  with  the  Cross  for  His  token, 
Who  rescued  my  people  and  gave  me  the  victory, 
Scattered  my  foemen  and  put  the  fierce  Huns  to  flight, 
Showed  me  in  heaven  His  sign  of  deliverance, 
The  loveliest  Cross  of  light,  gleaming  in  glory  ? " 

Elene. 

At  first  no  man  could  give  him  any  answer — perhaps 
none  dared — till  after  a  long  silence  the  wisest  of  all 
arose  and  said  he  had  heard  that  the  Cross  was  the  sign 
of  Ch  rist  the  King  of  Heaven,  and  that  the  knowledge 
of  His  way  was  only  revealed  to  men  in  baptism. 
When  strict  search  was  made  some  Christians  were 
found,  who  preached  the  way  of  life  to  Constantine, 
and  rejoiced  that  they  might  tell  before  men  of  the  life 
and  death,  the  Resurrection  and  Ascension  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  redeemed  mankind  from  the  bonds  of 
evil ;  and  then  Constantine,  being  fully  instructed  and 
convinced,  was  baptized  and  became  the  first  Christian 
emperor. 

Constantine  Desires  to  Find  our  Saviour's  Cross 

Constantine's  heart,  however,  was  too  full  of  love 
for  his  new  Lord  to  let  him  rest  satisfied  without  some 
visible  token  of  Christ's  sojourn  on  earth.  He  longed 

53 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

to  have,  to  keep  for  his  own,  one  thing  at  least  which 
Jesus  had  touched  during  His  life,  and  his  thoughts 
turned  chiefly  to  that  Cross  which  had  been  to  himself 
both  the  sign  of  triumph  and  the  guide  to  the  way  of 
life.  Thus  he  again  called  together  his  Christian 
teachers,  and  inquired  more  closely  where  Christ  had 
suffered. 

"In  Judaea,  outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  He  died 
on  the  Cross,"  they  told  him. 

"Then  there,  near  that  city,  so  blest  and  so  curst, 
we  must  seek  His  precious  Cross,"  cried  Constantine. 

Summons  his  Mother  Elene 

Forthwith  he  summoned  from  Britain  his  mother, 
the  British  Princess  Elene,  and  when  she  had  been 
taught  the  truth,  had  been  converted  and  baptized,  he 
told  her  of  his  heart's  desire,  and  begged  her  to  journey 
to  Jerusalem  and  seek  the  sacred  Cross. 

Elene  herself,  when  she  heard  Constantine's  words, 
was  filled  with  wonder,  and  said:  "Dear  son,  thy  words 
have  greatly  rejoiced  my  heart,  for  know  that  I,  too, 
have  seen  a  vision,  and  would  gladly  seek  the  Holy 
Cross,  where  it  lies  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  men." 

Elene's  Vision 

"  Now  will  I  tell  thee  the  brightest  of  visions, 
Dreamt  at  the  midnight  when  men  lay  in  slumber. 
Hovering  in  heaven  saw  I  a  radiant  Cross, 
Gloriously  gold-adorned,  shining  in  splendour  ; 
Starry  gems  shone  on  it  at  the  four  corners, 
Flashed  from  the  shoulder-span  five  gleaming  jewels. 
Angels  surrounded  it,  guarding  it  gladly. 
Yet  in  its  loveliness  sad  was  that  Cross  to  see, 
For  'neath  the  gold  and  gems  fast  blood  flowed  from  it, 
Till  it  was  all  defiled  with  the  dark  drops." 

Dream  of  the  Rood. 


ELENE  UNDERTAKES  THE  QUEST 

In  this  dream  of  Elene's  the  Cross  spoke  to  her, 
and  told  her  of  the  sad  fate  which  had  made  of  that 
hapless  tree  the  Cross  on  which  the  Redeemer  of  man- 
kind had  released  the  souls  of  men  from  evil,  on  which 
He  had  spread  out  His  arms  to  embrace  mankind,  had 
bowed  His  head,  weary  with  the  strife,  and  had  given 
up  His  soul.  All  creation  wept  that  hour,  for  Christ 
was  on  the  Cross. 


««  Yet  His  friends  came  to  him,  left  not  His  corpse  alone, 
Took  down  the  Mighty  King  from  His  sharp  sufferings — 
Humbly  I  bowed  myself  down  to  the  hands  of  men. 
Sadly  they  laid  Him  down  in  His  dark  rock-hewn  grave, 
Sadly  they  sang  for  Him  dirges  for  death-doomed  ones, 
Sadly  they  left  Him  there  as  His  fair  corpse  grew  cold. 
We,  the  three  Crosses,  stood  mournful  in  loneliness, 
Till  evil-thinking  men  felled  us  all  three  to  ground, 
Sank  us  deep  into  earth,  sealed  us  from  sight  of  man." 

Dream  of  the  Rood. 


She  Undertakes  the  Quest 

As  Constantino  had  been  guided  by  the  heavenly 
vision  of  the  True  Cross,  so  now  Elene  would  journey 
to  the  land  of  the  Jews  and  find  the  reality  of  that 
Holy  Cross.  Her  will  and  that  of  her  son  were  one 
in  this  matter,  so  that  before  long  the  whole  city  re- 
sounded with  the  bustle  and  clamour  of  preparation, 
for  Elene  was  to  travel  with  the  pomp  and  retinue 
befitting  the  mother  of  the  Emperor  of  Rome. 

u  There  by  the  Wendel  Sea  stood  the  wave-horses. 
Proudly  the  plunging  ships  sought  out  the  ocean  path. 
Line  followed  after  line  of  the  tall  brine-ploughs. 
Forth  went  the  water-steeds  o'er  the  sea-serpent's  road 
Bright  shields  on  the  bulwarks  oft  broke  the  foaming  surge. 
Ne'er  law  I  lady  lead  such  »  fair  following  !  " 

Elene. 

M 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

She  Comes  to  Judaea 

Queen  Elene  had  a  prosperous  voyage,  and,  after 
touching  at  the  land  of  the  Greeks,  reached  in  due 
time  the  country  of  Judaea,  and  so,  with  good  hope, 
came  to  Jerusalem.  There,  in  the  emperor's  name, 
she  summoned  to  an  assembly  all  the  oldest  and  wisest 
Jews,  a  congregation  of  a  thousand  venerable  rabbis, 
learned  in  all  the  books  of  the  Law  and  the  Prophets, 
and  proud  that  they  were  the  Chosen  People  in  a  world 
of  heathens,  aliens  from  the  True  God.  These  she 
addressed  at  first  with  a  blending  of  flattery  and  re- 
proach— flattery  for  the  Chosen  People,  reproach  for 
their  perversity  of  wickedness — and,  finally,  peremptorily 
demanded  an  answer  to  any  question  she  might  ask 
of  them.  The  Jews  withdrew  and  deliberated  sadly 
whether  they  durst  refuse  the  request  of  so  mighty  a 
person  as  the  emperor's  mother,  and,  deciding  that 
they  durst  not,  returned  to  the  hall  where  Elene  sat  in 
splendour  on  her  throne  and  announced  their  readiness 
to  reply  to  all  her  questions.  Elene,  however,  bade 
them  first  lessen  their  numbers.  They  chose  five 
hundred  to  reply  for  them,  and  on  these  she  poured 
such  bitter  reproaches  that  they  at  last  exclaimed  : 

"  Lady,  we  learnt  of  yore  laws  of  the  Hebrew  folk 
Which  all  our  fathers  learnt  from  the  true  ark  of  God. 
Lady,  we  know  not  now  why  thou  thus  blamest  us  ; 
How  has  the  Jewish  race  done  grievous  wrong  to  thce  ? " 

Elene. 

She  Cross'questions  the  Rabbis 

Elene  only  replied  :  "  Go  ye  away,  and  choose  out 
from  among  these  five  hundred  those  whose  wisdom  is 
great  enough  to  show  them  without  delay  the  answer 
to  all  things  I  require  ";  and  again  they  left  her  presence. 
When  they  were  alone,  one  of  them,  named  Judas, 
$6 


ONE  APPOINTED  TO  ANSWER  ELENE 
said :  "  I  know  what  this  queen  requires  :  she  will 
demand  to  know  from  us  where  the  Cross  is  concealed 
on  which  the  Lord  of  the  Christians  was  crucified  ;  but 
if  we  tell  this  secret  I  know  well  that  the  Jews  will 
cease  to  bear  rule  on  the  earth,  and  our  holy  scriptures 
will  be  forgotten.  For  my  grandfather  Zacchaeus,  as 
he  lay  dying,  bade  me  confess  the  truth  if  ever  man 
should  inquire  concerning  the  Holy  Tree  ;  and  when  I 
asked  how  our  nation  had  failed  to  recognise  the  Holy 
and  Just  One,  he  told  me  that  he  had  always  withdrawn 
himself  from  the  evil  deeds  of  his  generation,  and  their 
leaders  had  been  blinded  by  their  own  unrighteousness, 
and  had  slain  the  Lord  of  Glory.  And  he  ended  : 

" *  Thus  I  and  my  father  secretly  held  the  Faith.! 
Now  warn  I  thee,  my  son,  speak  not  thou  mockingly 
Of  the  true  Son  of  God  reigning  in  glory  : 
For  whom  my  Stephen  died,  and  the  Apostle  Paul.' 

ff&M, 

Now,"  said  Judas,  "since  things  are  so,  decide  ye  what 
we  shall  reveal,  or  what  conceal,  if  this  queen  asks  us." 

One  Appointed  to  Answer  her 

The  other  elders  replied  :  "  Do  what  seems  to  thee 
best,  since  thou  alone  knowest  this.  Never  have  we 
heard  of  these  strange  secrets.  Do  thou  according  to 
thy  great  wisdom." 

While  they  still  deliberated  came  the  heralds  with 
silver  trumpets,  which  they  blew,  proclaiming  aloud  : 

'*  The  mighty  Queen  calls  you,  O  men,  to  the  Council, 
That  she  may  hear  from  you  of  your  decision. 
Great  is  the  need  ye  have  of  all  your  wisdom." 

Elene. 

Slowly  and  reluctantly  the  Jewish  rabbis  returned 
to  the  council-chamber,  and  listened  to  Elene  as  she 

57 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

plied  them  with  questions  about  the  ancient  prophecies 
and  the  death  of  Christ ;  but  to  all  her  inquiries  they 
professed  entire  ignorance,  until,  in  her  wrath,  the  queen 
threatened  them  with  death  by  fire.  Then  they  led 
forward  Judas,  saying  :  "  He  can  reveal  the  mysteries  of 
Fate,  for  he  is  of  noble  race,  the  son  of  a  prophet.  He 
will  tell  thee  truth,  O  Queen,  as  thy  soul  loveth." 
Thus  Elene  let  the  other  Jews  go  in  peace,  and  took 
Judas  for  a  hostage. 

She  Threatens  him 

Now  Elene  greeted  Judas  and  said  :     . 

"  Lo,  thou  perverse  one,  two  things  lie  before  thee, 
Or  death  or  life  for  thee  :  choose  which  thou  wilt." 

Elene. 

Judas  replied  to  her,  since  he  could  not  escape  : 

"  If  the  starved  wanderer  lost  on  the  barren  moors 
Sees  both  a  stone  and  bread,  easily  in  his  reach, 
Which,  O  Queen,  thinkest  thou  he  will  reject  f " 

Elene. 

Thereupon  Elene  said :  "  If  thou  wouldst  dwell  in 
heaven  with  the  angels,  reveal  to  me  where  the  True 
Cross  lies  hidden."  Now  Judas  was  very  sad,  for  his 
choice  lay  between  death  and  the  revealing  of  the  fate- 
ful secret,  but  he  still  tried  to  evade  giving  an  answer, 
protesting  that  too  long  a  time  had  passed  for  the  secret 
to  be  known.  Elene  retorted  that  the  Trojan  War  was 
a  still  more  ancient  story,  and  yet  was  still  well  known  ; 
but  Judas  replied  that  men  are  bound  to  remember  the 
valiant  deeds  of  nations  ;  he  himself  had  never  even 
heard  the  story  of  which  she  spoke.  This  obstinacy 
angered  the  queen  greatly,  and  she  demanded  to  be 
taken  at  once  to  the  hill  of  Calvary,  that  she  might 
58 


JUDAS  GUIDES  ELENE  TO  CALVARY 
purify  it,  for  the  sake  of  Him  who  died  there ;  but 
Judas  only  repeated : 

"  I  know  not  the  place,  nor  aught  of  that  field." 

Elene. 

Queen  Elene  was  yet  more  enraged  by  his  stubborn 
denials,  and  determined  to  obtain  by  force  an  answer 
to  her  questions.  Calling  her  servants,  she  bade  them 
thrust  Judas  into  a  deep  dry  cistern,  where  he  lay, 
starving,  bound  hand  and  foot,  for  seven  nights  and 
days.  On  the  seventh  day  his  stubborn  spirit  yielded, 
and  Judas  lifted  up  his  voice  and  called  aloud,  saying : 

"  Now  1  beseech  you  all  by  the  great  God  of  heaven 
That  you  will  lift  me  up  out  of  this  misery. 
1  will  tell  all  I  know  of  that  True  Holy  Cross, 
Now  I  no  longer  can  hide  it  for  heavy  pain. 
Hunger  has  daunted  me  through  all  these  dreary  days. 
Foolish  was  I  of  yore  ;  late  I  confess  it." 

Elene. 

He  Guides  her  to  Calvary 

The  message  was  brought  to  Elene  where  she  waited 
to  hear  tidings,  and  she  bade  her  servants  lift  the 
weakened  Judas  from  the  dark  pit ;  then  they  led 
him,  half  dead  with  hunger,  out  of  the  city  to  the  hill 
of  Calvary.  There  Judas  prayed  to  the  God  whom  he 
now  feared  and  worshipped  for  a  sign,  some  token  to 
guide  them  in  their  search  for  the  Holy  Cross.  As  he 
prayed  a  sweet-smelling  vapour,  curling  upwards  like 
the  incense-wreaths  around  the  altar,  rose  to  the  skies 
from  the  summit  of  the  hill.  The  sign  was  manifest  to 
all,  and  Judas  gave  thanks  to  God  for  His  great  mercy  ; 
then,  bidding  the  wondering  soldiers  help  him,  he  began 
to  dig.  By  this  time  all  men  knew  what  they  sought, 
and  each  wished  to  uncover  the  holy  relic,  so  that  all 
dug  with  great  zeal,  until,  under  twenty  feet  of  earth, 

59 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

they  uncovered  three  crosses,  so  well  preserved  that 
they  lay  in  the  earth  just  as  the  Jews  had  hidden  them. 

Three  Crosses  Found 

Judas  and  all  rejoiced  greatly  at  this  marvel,  and, 
reverently  raising  the  three  crosses,  they  bore  them  into 
the  city,  and  laid  them  at  the  feet  of  Queen  Elene,  whose 
first  rapture  of  joy  was  speedily  turned  to  perplexity  as 
she  realised  that  she  knew  not  which  was  that  sacred 
Cross  on  which  the  King  of  Angels  had  suffered.  "  For," 
she  said,  "  two  thieves  were  crucified  with  him."  But 
even  Judas  could  not  clear  her  doubts. 

44  Lo  we  have  heard  of  this  from  all  the  holy  books, 
That  there  were  with  him  two  in  His  deep  anguish. 
They  hung  in  death  by  Him  ;  He  was  Himself  the  third. 
Heaven  was  all  darkened  o'er  at  that  dread  moment. 
Say,  ifthou  rightly  canst,  which  of  these  crosses 
Is  that  blest  Tree  of  Fate  which  bore  the  Heaven's  King.** 

Elene. 

A  Miracle  to  Reveal  our  Saviour's  Cross 

Judas,  however,  suggested  that  the  crosses  should  be 
carried  to  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  that  they  should 
pray  for  another  miracle  to  reveal  the  truth.  This  was 
done  at  dawn,  and  the  triumphant  band  of  Christians 
raised  hymns  of  prayer  and  praise  until  the  ninth 
hour  ;  then  came  a  mighty  crowd  bearing  a  young  man 
lifeless  on  his  bier.  At  Judas's  command  they  laid 
down  the  bier,  and  he,  praying  to  God,  solemnly  raised 
in  turn  each  of  the  crosses  and  held  it  above  the  dead 
man's  head.  Lifeless  still  he  lay  as  Judas  raised  the 
first  two,  but  when  he  held  above  the  corpse  the  third, 
the  True  Cross,  the  dead  man  arose  instantly,  body 
and  soul  reunited,  one  in  praising  God,  and  the  whole 
multitude  broke  out  into  shouts  of  thanksgiving  to  the 
60 


The  Queen's  dilemrru 


GOOD  NEWS  BROUGHT  TO  CONSTANTINE 

Lord  of  Hosts,  and  the  sacred  relic  was  restored  to  the 
loving  care  of  the  queen. 


Nails  Sought  for 
Nevertheless  Elene's  longing  was  still  unsatisfied. 
She  called  Judas  (whose  new  name  in  baptism  was 
Cyriacus)  and  begged  him  to  fulfil  her  desires,  and  to 
pray  to  God  that  she  might  find  the  nails  which  had 
pierced  the  Lord  of  Life,  where  they  lay  hidden  from 
men  in  the  ground  of  Calvary.  Leading  her  out  of  the 
town,  Cyriacus  again  prayed  on  Mount  Calvary  that  God 
would  send  forth  a  token  and  reveal  the  secret.  As 
he  prayed  there  came  from  heaven  a  leaping  flame, 
brighter  than  the  sun,  which  touched  the  surface  of  the 
ground  here  and  there,  and  kindled  in  each  place  a  tiny 
star.  When  they  dug  at  the  spots  where  the  stars 
shone  they  found  each  nail  shining  visibly  and  casting 
a  radiance  of  its  own  in  the  dark  earth.  So  Elene  had 
obtained  her  heart's  desire,  and  had  now  the  True 
Cross  and  the  Holy  Nails. 

Good  News  Brought  to  Constantine 

Word  of  his  mother's  success  was  sent  to  the  Emperor 
Constantine,  and  he  was  asked  what  should  be  done 
with  these  glorious  relics.  He  bade  Elene  build  in 
Jerusalem  a  glorious  church,  and  make  therein  a 
beautiful  shrine  of  silver,  where  the  Holy  Cross  should 
be  guarded  for  all  generations  by  priests  who  should 
watch  it  day  and  night.  This  was  done,  but  the  nails 
were  still  Elene's  possession,  and  she  was  at  a  loss  how 
to  preserve  these  holy  relics,  when  the  devout  Cyriacus, 
now  ordained  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  went  to  her  and 
said  :  "  O  lady  and  queen,  take  these  precious  nails  for 
thy  son  the  emperor.  Make  with  them  rings  for  his 
horse's  bridle.  Victory  shall  ever  go  with  them  ;  they 

61 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

shall  be  called  Holy  to  God,  and  he  shall  be  called 
blessed  whom  that  horse  bears."  The  advice  pleased 
the  queen,  and  she  had  wrought  a  glorious  bridle, 
adorned  with  the  Holy  Nails,  and  sent  it  to  her  son. 
Constantine  received  it  with  all  reverence,  and  ordained 
that  April  24,  the  day  of  the  miracle  of  revelation, 
should  henceforth  be  kept  in  honour  as  "  Holy  Cross 
Day."  Thus  were  the  emperor's  zeal  and  the  royal 
mother's  devotion  rewarded,  and  Christendom  was 
enriched  by  some  of  its  most  precious  treasures,  the 
True  Cross  and  the  Holy  Nails. 


CHAPTER  IV  :  THE  COMPASSION  OF 
CONSTANTINE 

Youth  of  Constantine 

X->  ONSTANTINE  THE  GREAT  was  the  eldest 
I  son  of  the  Roman  Emperor  Constantius  and 

V_^  the  British  Princess  Helena,  or  Elena,  and  was 
brought  up  as  a  devout  worshipper  of  the  many  gods 
of  Rome.  The  lad  grew  up  strong  and  handsome,  of 
a  tall  and  majestic  figure,  skilled  in  all  warlike  exercises, 
and,  as  he  fought  in  the  civil  wars  between  the  various 
Roman  emperors,  he  showed  himself  a  bold  and  pru- 
dent general  in  battle,  a  friendly  and  popular  leader 
in  time  of  peace.  The  popularity  of  the  youthful 
Constantine  was  dangerous  to  him,  and  he  needed,  and 
showed,  great  skill  in  evading  the  deadly  jealousy  of 
the  old  Emperor  Diocletian,  and  the  hatred  of  his 
father's  rival,  Galerius.  At  last,  however,  his  position 
became  so  dangerous  that  Constantius  felt  his  son's 
life  was  no  longer  safe,  and  earnestly  begged  him  to 
visit  his  native  land  of  Britain,  where  Constantius  had 
just  been  proclaimed  emperor  and  had  defeated  the 
wild  Caledonians.  The  excuse  given  was  that  Con- 
stantius was  in  bad  health  and  needed  his  son  ;  but  not 
until  the  young  man  was  actually  in  Britain  would  his 
anxious  father  avow  that  he  feared  for  his  son's  life. 

Acclaimed  Emperor 

When  the  half-British  Constantius  died,  Constantine, 
who  was  the  favourite  of  the  Roman  soldiery  of  the 
west,  was  at  once  acclaimed  as  emperor  by  his  devoted 
troops.  He  professed  unwillingness  to  accept  the 
honour,  and  it  is  said  that  he  even  tried  in  vain  to  escape 
on  horseback  from  the  affectionate  solicitations  of  his 
soldiers-.  Seeing  the  uselessness  of  further  protest, 

6* 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Constantine  accepted  the  imperial  title,  and  wrote  to 
Galerius  claiming  the  throne  and  justifying  his  accept- 
ance of  the  unsought  dignity  thrust  upon  him.  Galerius 
acquiesced  in  the  inevitable,  and  granted  Constantine 
the  inferior  title  of  "  Caesar,"  with  rule  over  Western 
Europe,  and  the  wise  prince  was  content  to  wait  until 
favouring  circumstances  should  destroy  his  rivals  and 
give  him  that  sole  sway  over  the  Roman  Empire  for 
which  he  was  so  well  fitted.  He  had  now  reached  the 
age  of  thirty,  had  fought  valiantly  in  the  wars  in  Egypt 
and  Persia,  and  had  risen  by  merit  to  the  rank  of 
tribune.  His  marriage  with  Fausta,  the  daughter  of 
the  Emperor  Maximian,  and  his  elevation  to  the  rank 
of  Augustus  brought  him  nearer  to  the  attainment  of 
his  ambition  ;  and  at  length  the  defeat  and  death  of  his 
rivals  placed  him  at  the  head  of  the  world-wide  empire 
of  Rome.  It  is  to  some  period  previous  to  Con- 
stantine's  elevation  to  the  supreme  authority  that  we 
must  refer  the  following  story,  told  by  Gower  in  his 
"  Confessio  Amantis  "  as  an  example  of  that  true  charity 
which  is  the  mother  of  pity,  and  makes  a  man's  heart  so 
tender  that, 

"Though  he  might  himself  relieve, 
Yet  he  would  not  another  grieve," 

but  in  order  to  give  pleasure  to  others  would  bear  his 
own  trouble  alone. 

Becomes  a  Leper 

The  noble  Constantine,  Emperor  of  Rome,  was  in 
the  full  flower  of  his  age,  goodly  to  look  upon,  strong 
and  happy,  when  a  great  and  sudden  affliction  came 
upon  him  :  leprosy  attacked  him.  The  horrible  dis- 
ease showed  itself  first  in  his  face,  so  that  no  conceal- 
ment was  possible,  and  if  he  had  not  been  the  emperor 
64 


CONSTANTINE'S  LEPROSY 

he  would  have  been  driven  out  to  live  in  the  forests 
and  wilds.  The  leprosy  spread  from  his  face  till  it 
entirely  covered  his  body,  and  became  so  bad  that  he 
could  no  longer  ride  out  or  show  himself  to  his  people. 
When  all  cures  had  been  tried  and  had  failed,  Con- 
stantine withdrew  himself  from  his  lords,  gave  up  all 
use  of  arms,  abandoned  his  imperial  duties,  and  shut 
himself  in  his  palace,  where  he  lived  such  a  secluded 
life  in  his  own  apartments  that  Rome  had,  as  it  were, 
no  lord,  and  all  men  throughout  the  empire  talked  of 
his  illness  and  prayed  their  gods  to  heal  him.  When 
everything  seemed  to  be  in  vain,  Constantine  yielded 
to  the  prayer  of  his  council,  that  he  would  summon  all 
the  doctors,  learned  men,  and  physicians  from  every 
realm  to  Rome,  that  they  might  consider  his  illness 
and  try  if  any  cure  could  be  found  for  his  malady. 

Rewards  Offered  for  his  Cure 

A  proclamation  went  forth  throughout  the  world 
and  great  rewards  were  offered  to  any  man  who  should 
heal  the  emperor.  Tempted  by  the  rewards  and  the 
great  fame  to  be  won,  there  came  leeches  and  physicians 
from  Persia  and  Arabia,  and  from  every  land  that  owned 
the  sway  of  Rome,  philosophers  from  Greece  and  Egypt, 
and  magicians  and  sorcerers  from  the  unexplored  desert 
of  the  east.  But,  though  Constantine  tried  all  the 
remedies  suggested  or  recommended  by  the  wise  men, 
his  leprosy  grew  no  better,  but  rather  worse,  and  even 
magic  could  give  him  no  help. 

Again  the  learned  men  assembled  and  consulted 
what  they  should  advise,  for  all  were  loath  to  abandon 
the  emperor  in  his  great  distress,  but  they  were  all 
at  a  loss.  They  sat  in  silence,  till  at  last  one  very  old 
and  very  wise  man,  a  great  physician  from  Arabia,  arose 
and  said  : 

65 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

A  Desperate  Remedy 

"  Now  that  all  else  has  failed,  and  naught  is  of  any 
avail,  I  will  tell  of  a  remedy  of  which  I  have  heard.  It 
will,  1  believe,  certainly  cure  our  beloved  emperor,  but 
it  is  very  terrible,  and  therefore  I  was  loath  to  name  it 
till  every  other  means  had  been  tried  and  failed,  for  it 
is  a  cruel  thing  for  any  man  to  do.  Let  the  Emperor 
dip  himself  in  a  full  bath  of  the  blood  of  infants  and 
children,  seven  years  old  or  under,  and  he  shall  be 
healed,  and  his  leprosy  shall  fall  from  him  ;  for  this 
malady  is  not  natural  to  his  body,  and  it  demands  an 
unnatural  cure." 

Constantine  Assents  Regretfully 

The  proposal  was  a  terrible  one  to  the  assembly,  and 
many  would  not  agree  to  it  at  first,  but  when  they 
considered  that  nothing  else  would  heal  the  emperor 
they  at  length  gave  way,  and  sent  two  from  among 
themselves  to  bring  the  news  to  Constantine,  who  was 
waiting  for  them  in  his  darkened  room.  He  was 
horrified  when  he  heard  the  counsel  they  brought,  and 
at  first  utterly  refused  to  carry  out  so  evil  a  plan  ;  but 
because  his  life  was  very  dear  to  his  people,  and  because 
he  felt  that  he  had  a  great  work  to  do  in  the  world,  he 
ultimately  agreed,  with  many  tears,  to  try  the  terrible 
remedy. 

A  Cruel  Proclamation 

Thereupon  the  council  drew  up  letters,  under  the 
emperor's  hand  and  seal,  and  sent  them  out  to  all  the 
world,  bidding  all  mothers  with  children  of  seven  years 
of  age  or  under  to  bring  them  with  speed  to  Rome, 
that  there  the  blood  of  the  innocents  might  prove  heal- 
ing to  the  emperor's  malady.  Alas  1  what  weeping  and 


CONSTANTINE  IS  CONSCIENCE-STRICKEN 

wailing  there  was  among  the  mothers  when  they  heard 
this  cruel  decree  I  How  they  cried,  and  clasped  their 
babes  to  their  breasts,  and  how  they  called  Constantine 
more  cruel  than  Herod,  who  killed  the  Holy  Innocents  ! 
The  eastern  ruler,  they  said,  slew  only  the  infants  of 
one  poor  village,  but  their  emperor,  more  ruthless, 
claimed  the  lives  of  all  the  young  children  of  his  whole 
empire. 

Constantine  is  Conscience-stricken 

But  though  the  mothers  lamented  bitterly,  they  must 
needs  bow  to  the  emperor's  decree,  whether  they  were 
lief  on  loath,  and  thus  a  great  multitude  gathered  in 
the  great  courtyard  of  the  imperial  palace  at  Rome  : 
women  nursing  sucking-babes  at  the  breast,  or  holding 
toddling  infants  by  the  hand,  or  with  little  children 
running  by  their  sides,  and  all  so  heart-broken  and 
woebegone  that  many  swooned  for  very  grief.  The 
mothers  wailed  aloud,  the  children  cried,  and  the  tumult 
grew  until  Constantine  heard  it,  where  he  sat  lonely 
and  wretched  in  his  darkened  room.  He  looked  out 
of  his  window  on  the  mournful  sight  in  the  courtyard, 
and  was  roused  as  from  a  trance,  saying  to  himself : 
"  O  Divine  Providence,  who  hast  formed  all  men 
alike,  lo  !  the  poor  man  is  born,  lives,  suffers,  and  dies, 
just  as  does  the  rich  ;  to  wise  man  and  fool  alike  come 
sickness  and  health  ;  and  no  man  may  avoid  that 
fortune  which  Nature's  law  hath  ordained  for  him. 
Likewise  to  all  men  are  Nature's  gifts  of  strength  and 
beauty,  of  soul  and  reason,  freely  and  fully  given,  so 
that  the  poor  child  is  born  as  capable  of  virtue  as  the 
king's  son  ;  and  to  each  man  is  given  free  will  to 
choose  virtue  or  vice.  Yet  thou  givest  to  men  diversity 
of  rank,  wealth  or  poverty,  lordship  or  servitude,  not 
always  according  to  their  deserts ;  so  much  the  more 
c  67 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

virtuous  should  that  man  be  to  whom  thou  hast  put 
other  men  in  subjection,  men  who  are  nevertheless  his 
fellows  and  wear  his  likeness.  Thou,  O  God,  who 
hast  put  Nature  and  the  whole  universe  under  law, 
wouldst  have  all  men  rule  themselves  by  law,  and 
thou  hast  said  that  a  man  must  do  to  others  such 
things  as  he  would  have  done  to  himself." 

His  Noble  Resolve 

Thus  Constantine  spoke  within  himself  as  he  stood 
by  the  window  and  looked  upon  the  weeping  mothers 
and  children,  the  very  sentinels  of  his  palace  pitying 
them,  and  trying  in  vain  to  comfort  them  ;  and  a  strife 
grew  strong  within  him  between  his  natural  longing 
for  healing  and  deliverance  from  this  loathsome  disease 
which  had  darkened  his  life,  and  the  pity  he  felt  for 
these  poor  creatures,  and  his  horror  at  the  thought  of 
so  much  human  blood  to  be  shed  for  himself  alone. 
The  great  moaning  of  the  woeful  mothers  came  to  him, 
and  the  pitiful  crying  of  the  children,  and  he  thought : 
"What  am  I  that  my  health  is  to  outweigh  the  lives 
and  happiness  of  so  many  of  my  people  ?  Is  my  life  of 
more  value  to  the  world  than  those  of  all  the  children 
who  must  shed  their  blood  for  my  healing  ?  Surely 
each  babe  is  as  precious  as  Constantine  the  Emperor  !  " 
Thus  his  heart  grew  so  tender  and  so  full  of  compassion 
that  he  chose  rather  to  die  by  this  terrible  sickness  than 
to  commit  so  great  a  slaughter  of  innocent  children,  and 
he  renounced  all  other  physicians,  and  trusted  himself 
wholly  to  God's  care. 

He  Announces  his  Determination 

He  at  once  summoned  his  council,  and  announced 
to  them  his  resolution,  giving  as  his  reason,  "  He  that 
will  be  truly  master  must  be  ever  servant  to  pity  1 " 

H| 


A  VISION 

and  without  delay  the  anxious  mothers  were  told  that 
their  children  were  free  and  safe,  for  the  emperor  had 
renounced  the  cure,  and  needed  their  blood  no  longer. 
What  raptures  of  rejoicing  there  were,  what  outpouring 
of  blessing  on  the  emperor,  what  songs  of  praise  and 
thanks  from  the  women  wild  with  joy,  cannot  be  fully 
told  ;  and  yet  greater  grew  their  joy  and  thankfulness 
when  Constantine,  calling  his  high  officials,  bade  them 
take  all  his  gathered  treasures  and  distribute  them 
among  the  poor  women,  that  they  might  feed  and 
clothe  their  children,  and  so  return  home  untouched 
by  any  loss,  and  recompensed  in  some  degree  for  their 
sufferings.  Thus  did  Constantine  obey  the  behests  of 
pity,  and  try  to  atone  for  the  wrong  to  which  he  had 
consented  in  his  heart,  and  which  he  had  so  nearly  done 
to  his  people. 

The  Victims  Sent  Home  Happy 

Home  to  all  parts  of  the  Roman  Empire  went  the 
women,  bearing  with  them  their  happy  children,  and 
the  rich  gifts  they  had  received.  Each  one  thanked 
and  blessed  the  emperor,  and  sang  his  praises,  where 
before  she  had  passed  with  tears  and  bitter  curses  on 
his  head ;  each  woman  shared  her  joy  with  her  neigh- 
bours ;  and  the  very  children  learnt  from  their  mothers 
and  fathers  to  pray  for  the  healing  of  their  great  lord, 
who  had  given  up  his  own  will  and  sacrificed  his  own 
cure  for  gentle  pity's  sake.  Thus  the  whole  world 
prayed  for  Constantine's  healing. 

A  Vision 

Lo  !  it  never  yet  was  known  that  charity  went  un- 
requited and  this  Constantine  now  learnt  in  his  own 
glad  experience  ;  for  that  same  night,  as  he  lay  asleep, 
God  sent  to  him  a  vision  of  two  strangers,  men  of 

69 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

noble  face  and  form,  whom  he  reverenced  greatly,  and 
who  said  to  him  :  "  O  Constantine,  because  thou  hast 
obeyed  the  voice  of  pity,  thou  hast  deserved  pity  ; 
therefore  shalt  thou  find  such  mercy,  that  God,  in  His 
great  pity,  will  save  thee.  Double  healing  shalt  thou 
receive,  first  for  thy  body,  and  next  for  thy  woeful  soul ; 
both  alike  shall  be  made  whole.  And  that  thou  mayst 
not  despair,  God  will  grant  thee  a  sign — thy  leprosy 
shall  not  increase  till  thou  hast  sent  to  Mount  Celion, 
to  Sylvester  and  all  his  clergy.  There  they  dwell  in 
secret  for  dread  of  thee,  who  hast  been  a  foe  to  the  law 
of  Christ,  and  hast  destroyed  those  who  preach  in  His 
Holy  Name.  Now  thou  hast  appeased  God  somewhat 
by  thy  good  deed,  since  thou  hast  had  pity  on  the 
innocent  blood,  and  hast  spared  it ;  for  this  thou  shalt 
find  teaching,  from  Sylvester,  to  the  salvation  of  both 
body  and  soul.  Thou  wilt  need  no  other  leech."  The 
emperor,  who  had  listened  with  eagerness  and  awe, 
now  spoke  :  "  Great  thanks  I  owe  to  you,  my  lords, 
and  I  will  indeed  do  as  ye  have  said  ;  but  one  thing  I 
would  pray  you — what  shall  I  tell  Sylvester  of  the 
name  or  estate  of  those  who  send  me  to  him  ?  "  The 
two  strangers  said:  "We  are  the  Apostles  Peter  and 
Paul,  who  endured  death  here  in  thy  city  of  Rome  for 
the  Holy  Name  of  Christ,  and  we  bid  Sylvester  teach 
and  baptize  thee  into  the  true  faith.  So  shall  the 
Roman  Empire  become  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  and 
of  His  Christ."  So  saying,  they  blessed  him,  and  passed 
into  the  heavens  out  of  his  sight,  and  Constantine  awoke 
from  his  slumber  and  knew  that  he  had  seen  a  vision. 
He  called  aloud  eagerly,  and  his  servants  waiting  in  an 
outer  room  ran  in  to  him  quickly,  for  there  was  urgency 
in  his  voice.  To  them  Constantine  told  his  vision  and 
the  command  which  was  laid  upon  him. 


-They  filled  the  great  vessel  of  silver  with  pure  water          7o 


CONSTANTINE  BAPTIZED 

Sylvester  Summoned 

Messengers  rode  in  hot  haste  to  Mount  Celion,  and 
inquired  long  and  anxiously  for  Sylvester.  At  last 
they  found  him,  a  holy  and  venerable  man,  and  sum- 
moned him,  saying  :  "  The  Emperor  calls  for  thee : 
come,  therefore,  at  once."  Sylvester's  clergy  were 
greatly  affrighted,  not  knowing  what  this  summons 
might  mean,  and  dreading  the  death  of  their  dear 
bishop  and  master  ;  but  he  went  forth  gladly,  not 
knowing  to  what  fate  he  was  going.  When  he  was 
brought  to  the  palace  the  emperor  greeted  him  kindly, 
and  told  him  all  his  dream,  and  the  command  of  the 
Apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  and  ended  with  these  words  : 
"  Now  I  have  done  as  the  vision  bade,  and  have  fetched 
thee  here  :  tell  me,  I  pray,  the  glad  tidings  which  shall 
bring  healing  to  my  body  and  soul."  When  Sylvester 
heard  this  speech  he  was  filled  with  joy  and  wonder, 
and  thanked  God  for  the  vision  He  had  sent  to  the 
emperor,  and  then  he  began  to  preach  to  him  the 
Christian  faith  :  he  told  of  the  Fall  of  Man,  and  the 
redemption  of  the  world  by  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  Ascension  of  Jesus  and  His 
return  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  of  the  justice  of  God, 
who  will  judge  all  men  impartially  according  to  their 
works,  good  or  bad,  and  of  the  life  of  joy  or  misery  to 
come.  As  Sylvester  taught,  the  monarch  listened  and 
believed,  and,  when  the  tale  was  ended,  announced  his 
conversion  to  the  true  faith,  and  said  he  was  ready, 
with  his  whole  heart  and  soul,  to  be  baptized. 

Constantine  Baptized 

At  the  emperor's  command,  they  took  the  great 
vessel  of  silver  which  had  been  made  for  the  children's 
blood,  and  Sylvester  bade  them  fill  it  with  pure  water 

7» 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
from  the  well.  When  that  was  done  with  all  haste, 
he  bade  Constantine  stand  therein,  so  that  the  water 
reached  to  his  chin.  As  the  holy  rite  began,  a  great 
light  like  the  sun's  rays  shone  from  heaven  into  the 
place,  and  upon  Constantine  ;  and  as  the  sacred  words 
were  being  read  there  fell  now  and  again  from  his 
body  scales  like  those  of  a  fish,  till  there  was  nothing 
left  of  his  horrible  disease  ;  and  thus  in  baptism 
Constantine  was  purified  in  body  and  souL 


72 


CHAPTER  V  :  HAVELOK  THE  DANE 

The  Origin  of  the  Story 

THE  Danish  occupation  of  England  has  left  a 
very  strong  mark  on  our  country  in  various 
ways — on  its  place-names,  its  racial  charac- 
teristics, its  language,  its  literature,  and,  in  part,  on 
its  ideals.  The  legend  of  Havelok  the  Dane,  with 
its  popularity  and  widespread  influence,  is  one  result 
of  Danish  supremacy.  It  is  thought  that  the  origin  of 
the  legend,  which  contains  a  twofold  version  of  the 
common  story  of  the  cruel  guardian  and  the  persecuted 
heir,  is  to  be  found  in  Wales  ;  but,  however  that  may 
be,  it  is  certain  that  in  the  continual  rise  and  fall  of  small 
tribal  kingdoms,  Celtic  or  Teutonic,  English  or  Danish, 
the  circumstances  out  of  which  the  story  grew  must 
have  been  common  enough.  Kings  who  died  leaving 
helpless  heirs  to  the  guardianship  of  ambitious  and 
wicked  nobles  were  not  rare  in  the  early  days  of 
Britain,  Wales,  or  Denmark  ;  the  murder  of  the  heir 
and  the  usurpation  of  the  kingdom  by  the  cruel  regent 
were  no  unusual  occurrences.  The  opportunity  of 
localising  the  early  legend  seems  to  have  come  with 
the  growing  fame  of  Anlaf,  or  Olaf,  Sihtricson,  who 
was  known  to  the  Welsh  as  Abloec  or  Habloc.  His 
adventurous  life  included  a  threefold  expulsion  from 
his  inheritance  of  Northumbria,  a  marriage  with  the 
daughter  of  King  Constantine  III.  of  Scotland,  and  a 
family  kinship  with  King  Athelstan  of  England.  In 
Anlaf  Curan  (as  he  was  called)  we  have  an  historical 
hero  on  whom  various  romantic  stories  were  gradually 
fathered,  because  of  his  adventurous  life  and  his  strong 
personality.  These  stories  finally  crystalized  in  a 
form  which  shows  the  English  and  Danish  love  of 
physical  prowess  (Havelok  is  the  strongest  man  in  the 

73 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
kingdom),  as  well  as  a  certain  cruelty  of  revenge 
which  is  more  peculiarly  Danish.  There  is  resentment 
of  the  Norman  predominance  to  be  found  in  the 
popularity  of  a  story  which  shows  the  kitchen-boy 
excelling  all  the  nobles  in  manly  exercises,  and  the 
heiress  to  the  kingdom  wedded  in  scorn,  as  so  many 
Saxon  heiresses  were  after  the  Conquest,  to  a  mere 
scullion.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that 
Havelok  stood  to  mediaeval  England  as  a  hero  of  the 
strong  arm,  a  champion  of  the  populace  against  the 
ruling  race,  and  that  his  royal  birth  and  dignity  were  a 
concession  to  historic  facts  and  probabilities,  not  much 
regarded  by  the  common  people.  The  story,  again, 
showed  another  truly  humble  hero,  Grim  the  fisher, 
whose  loyalty  was  supposed  to  account  for  the  special 
trading  privileges  of  his  town,  Grimsby.  In  Grim  the 
story  found  a  character  who  was  in  reality  a  hero  of 
the  poor  and  lowly,  witfy  the  characteristic  devotion  of 
the  tribesman  to  his  chief,  of  the  vassal  to  his  lord,  a 
devotion  which  was  handed  on  from  father  to  son,  so 
that  a  second  generation  continued  the  services,  and 
received  the  rewards,  of  the  father  who  risked  life  and 
all  for  the  sake  of  his  king's  heir. 

The  reader  will  not  fail  to  notice  the  characteristic 
anachronisms  which  give  to  life  in  Saxon  England  in 
the  tenth  century  the  colour  of  the  Norman  chivalry  of 
the  thirteenth. 

Havelok  and  Godard 

In  Denmark,  long  ago,  lived  a  good  king  named 
Birkabeyn,  rich  and  powerful,  a  great  warrior  and  a 
man  of  mighty  prowess,  whose  rule  was  undisputed 
over  the  whole  realm.  He  had  three  children — two 
daughters,  named  Swanborow  and  Elfleda  the  Fair,  and 
one  young  and  goodly  son,  Havelok,  the  heir  to  all 
74 


HAVELOK  AND  GODARD 

his  dominions.  All  too  soon  came  the  day  that  no 
man  can  avoid,  when  Death  would  call  King  Birkabeyn 
away,  and  he  grieved  sore  over  his  young  children  to 
be  left  fatherless  and  unprotected  ;  but,  after  much 
reflection,  and  prayers  to  God  for  wisdom  to  help 
his  choice,  he  called  to  him  Jarl  Godard,  a  trusted 
counsellor  and  friend,  and  committed  into  his  hands 
the  care  of  the  realm  and  of  the  three  royal  children, 
until  Havelok  should  be  of  age  to  be  knighted  and 
rule  the  land  himself.  King  Birkabeyn  felt  that  such  a 
charge  was  too  great  a  temptation  for  any  man  unbound 
by  oaths  of  fealty  and  honour,  and  although  he  did  not 
distrust  his  friend,  he  required  Godard  to  swear, 

"  By  altar  and  by  holy  service  book, 
By  bells  that  call  the  faithful  to  the  church, 
By  blessed  sacrament,  and  sacred  rites, 
By  Holy  Rood,  and  Him  who  died  thereon, 
That  thou  wilt  truly  rule  and  keep  my  realm, 
Wilt  guard  my  babes  in  love  and  loyalty, 
Until  my  son  be  grown,  and  dubbed  knight: 
That  thou  wilt  then  re$ign  to  him  his  land, 
His  power  and  rule,  and  all  that  owns  his  sway." 

Jarl  Godard  took  this  most  solemn  oath  at  once, 
with  many  protestations  of  affection  and  whole-hearted 
devotion  to  the  dying  king  and  his  heir,  and  King 
Birkabeyn  died  happy  in  the  thought  that  his  children 
would  be  well  cared  for  during  their  helpless  youth. 

When  the  funeral  rites  were  celebrated  Jarl  Godard 
assumed  the  rule  of  the  country,  and,  under  pretext  of 
securing  the  safety  of  the  royal  children,  removed  them 
to  a  strong  castle,  where  no  man  was  allowed  access  to 
them,  and  where  they  were  kept  so  closely  that  the 
royal  residence  became  a  prison  in  all  but  name. 
Godard,  finding  Denmark  submit  to  his  government 
without  resistance,  began  to  adopt  measures  to  rid 

75 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

himself  of  the  real  heirs  to  the  throne,  and  gave  orders 
that  food  and  clothes  should  be  supplied  to  the  three 
children  in  such  scanty  quantities  that  they  might  die  of 
hardship  ;  but  since  they  were  slow  to  succumb  to  this 
cruel,  torturing  form  of  murder,  he  resolved  to  slay 
them  suddenly,  knowing  that  no  one  durst  call  him  to 
account.  Having  steeled  his  heart  against  all  pitiful 
thoughts,  he  went  to  the  castle,  and  was  taken  to  the 
inner  dungeon  where  the  poor  babes  lay  shivering  and 
weeping  for  cold  and  hunger.  As  he  entered,  Havelok, 
who  was  even  then  a  bold  lad,  greeted  him  courteously, 
and  knelt  before  him,  with  clasped  hands,  begging  a 
boon. 

"Why  do  you  weep  and  wail  so  sore?"  asked 
Godard. 

"Because  we  are  so  hungry,"  answered  Havelok. 
"  We  have  so  little  food,  and  we  have  no  servants  to 
wait  on  us ;  they  do  not  give  us  half  as  much  as  we 
could  eat ;  we  are  shivering  with  cold,  and  our  clothes 
are  all  in  rags.  Woe  to  us  that  we  were  ever  born  !  Is 
there  in  the  land  no  more  corn  with  which  men  can 
make  bread  for  us  ?  We  are  nearly  dead  from  hunger.'* 

These  pathetic  words  had  no  effect  on  Godard,  who 
had  resolved  to  yield  to  no  pity  and  show  no  mercy. 
He  seized  the  two  little  girls  as  they  lay  cowering 
together,  clasping  one  another  for  warmth,  and  cut  their 
throats,  letting  the  bodies  of  the  hapless  babies  fall  to 
the  floor  in  a  pool  of  blood  ;  and  then,  turning  to 
Havelok,  aimed  his  knife  at  the  boy's  heart.  The  poor 
child,  terrified  by  the  awful  fate  or  the  two  girls,  knelt 
again  before  him  and  begged  for  mercy  : 

"  Fair  lord,  have  mercy  on  me  now,  I  pray  ! 
Look  on  my  helpless  youth,  and  pity  me ! 
Oh,  let  me  live,  and  I  will  yield  you  all — 
My  realm  of  Denmark  will  I  leave  to  yon, 


HAVELOK  AND  GODARD 

And  swear  that  I  will  ne'er  assail  your  sway. 
Oh,  pity  me,  lord  !  be  compassionate  ! 
And  I  will  flee  far  from  this  land  of  mine, 
And  vow  that  Birkabeyn  was  ne'er  my  sire  ! " 

Jarl  Godard  was  touched  by  Havelok's  piteous  speech, 
and  felt  some  faint  compassion,  so  that  he  could  not 
slay  the  lad  himself;  yet  he  knew  that  his  only  safety 
was  in  Havelok's  death. 

"  If  I  let  him  go,"  thought  he,  "  Havelok  will  at  last 
work  me  woe  !  I  shall  have  no  peace  in  my  life,  and 
my  children  after  me  will  not  hold  the  lordship  of  Den- 
mark in  safety,  if  Havelok  escapes  !  Yet  I  cannot  slay 
him  with  my  own  hands.  I  will  have  him  cast  into  the 
sea  with  an  anchor  about  his  neck  :  thus  at  least  his 
body  will  not  float" 

Godard  left  Havelok  kneeling  in  terror,  and,  striding 
from  the  tower,  leaving  the  door  locked  behind  him,  he 
sent  for  an  ignorant  fisherman,  Grim,  who,  he  thought, 
could  be  frightened  into  doing  his  will.  When  Grim 
came  he  was  led  into  an  ante-room,  where  Godard,  with 
terrible  look  and  voice,  addressed  him  thus  : 

"  Grim,  thou  knowest  thou  art  my  thrall."  "  Yea, 
fair  lord,"  quoth  Grim,  trembling  at  Godard's  stern 
voice.  "  And  I  can  slay  thee  if  thou  dost  disobey  me." 
"  Yea,  lord  ;  but  how  have  I  offended  you  ?  "  "  Thou 
hast  not  yet ;  but  I  have  a  task  for  thee,  and  if  thou 
dost  it  not,  dire  punishment  shall  fall  upon  thee." 
"Lord,  what  is  the  work  that  I  must  do  ?"  asked  the 
poor  fisherman.  "  Tarry  :  I  will  show  thee."  Then 
Godard  went  into  the  inner  room  of  the  tower,  whence 
he  returned  leading  a  fair  boy,  who  wept  bitterly. 
"Take  this  boy  secretly  to  thy  house,  and  keep  him 
there  till  dead  of  night ;  then  launch  thy  boat,  row  out 
to  sea,  and  fling  him  therein  with  an  anchor  round  his 
neck,  so  that  I  shall  see  him  never  again." 

77 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Grim  looked  curiously  at  the  weeping  boy,  and  said : 
"What  reward  shall  I  have  if  I  work  this  sin  for 
you  ?  " 

Godard  replied  :  "  The  sin  will  be  on  my  head,  as  I 
am  thy  lord  and  bid  thee  do  it ;  but  I  will  make  thee  a 
freeman,  noble  and  rich,  and  my  friend,  if  thou  wilt  do 
this  secretly  and  discreetly." 

Thus  reassured  and  bribed,  Grim  suddenly  took  the 
boy,  flung  him  to  the  ground,  and  bound  him  hand 
and  foot  with  cord  which  he  took  from  his  pockets. 
So  anxious  was  he  to  secure  the  boy  that  he  drew  the 
cords  very  tight,  and  Havelok  suffered  terrible  pain ; 
he  could  not  cry  out,  for  a  handful  of  rags  was  thrust 
into  his  mouth  and  over  his  nostrils,  so  that  he  could 
hardly  breathe.  Then  Grim  flung  the  poor  boy  into  a 
horrible  black  sack,  and  carried  him  thus  from  the 
castle,  as  if  he  were  bringing  home  broken  food  for  his 
family.  When  Grim  reached  his  poor  cottage,  where 
his  wife  Leve  was  waiting  for  him,  he  slung  the 
sack  from  his  shoulder  and  gave  it  to  her,  saying, 
"  Take  good  care  of  this  boy  as  of  thy  life.  I  am  to 
drown  him  at  midnight,  and  if  I  do  so  my  lord  has 
promised  to  make  me  a  free  man  and  give  me  great 
wealth." 

When  Dame  Leve  heard  this  she  sprang  up  and 
flung  the  lad  down  in  a  comer,  and  nearly  broke  his 
head  with  the  crash  against  the  earthen  floor.  There 
Havelok  lay,  bruised  and  aching,  while  the  couple 
went  to  sleep,  leaving  the  room  all  dark  but  for  the 
red  glow  from  the  fire.  At  midnight  Grim  awoke  to 
do  his  lord's  behest,  and  Dame  Leve,  going  to  the 
living-room  to  kindle  a  light,  was  terrified  by  a 
mysterious  gleam  as  bright  as  day  which  shone  around 
the  boy  on  the  floor  and  streamed  from  his  mouth. 
Leve  hastily  called  Grim  to  see  this  wonder,  and 
78 


Havelok  sat  up  surprised" 


HAVELOK  AND  GODARD 

together  they  released  Havelok  from  the  gag  and 
bonds  and  examined  his  body,  when  they  found  on  the 
right  shoulder  the  token  of  true  royalty,  a  cross  of  red 
gold. 

"  God  knows,"  quoth  Grim,  "  that  this  is  the  heir  of 
our  land.  He  will  come  to  rule  in  good  time,  will  bear 
sway  over  England  and  Denmark,  and  will  punish  the 
cruel  Godard."  Then,  weeping  sore,  the  loyal  fisher- 
man fell  down  at  Havelok's  feet,  crying,  "  Lord,  have 
mercy  on  me  and  my  wife  !  We  are  thy  thralls,  and 
never  will  we  do  aught  against  thee.  We  will  nourish 
thee  until  thou  canst  rule,  and  will  hide  thee  from 
Godard  ;  and  thou  wilt  perchance  give  me  my  freedom 
in  return  for  thy  life." 

At  this  unexpected  address  Havelok  sat  up  surprised, 
and  rubbed  his  bruised  head  and  said  :  "  I  am  nearly 
dead,  what  with  hunger,  and  thy  cruel  bonds,  and  the 
gag.  Now  bring  me  food  in  plenty  !  "  "  Yea,  lord," 
said  Dame  Leve,  and  bustled  about,  bringing  the  best 
they  had  in  the  hut ;  and  Havelok  ate  as  if  he  had 
fasted  for  three  days  ;  and  then  he  was  put  to  bed,  and 
slept  in  peace  while  Grim  watched  over  him. 

However,  Grim  went  the  next  morning  to  Jarl  Godard 
and  said  :  "  Lord,  I  have  done  your  behest,  and  drowned 
the  boy  with  an  anchor  about  his  neck.  He  is  safe, 
and  now,  I  pray  you,  give  me  my  reward,  the  gold  and 
other  treasures,  and  make  me  a  freeman  as  you  have 
promised."  But  Godard  only  looked  fiercely  at  him 
and  said  :  "  What,  wouldst  thou  be  an  earl  ?  Go  home, 
thou  foul  churl,  and  be  ever  a  thrall !  It  is  enough 
reward  that  I  do  not  hang  thee  now  for  insolence,  and 
for  thy  wicked  deeds.  Go  speedily,  else  thou  mayst 
stand  and  palter  with  me  too  long."  And  Grim  shrank 
quietly  away,  lest  Godard  should  slay  him  for  the 
murder  of  Havelok 

79 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
Now  Grim  saw  in  what  a  terrible  plight  he  stood,  at 
the  mercy  of  this  cruel  and  treacherous  man,  and  he 
took  counsel  with  himself  and  consulted  his  wife,  and 
the  two  decided  to  flee  from  Denmark  to  save  their 
lives.  Gradually  Grim  sold  all  his  stock,  his  cattle,  his 
nets,  everything  that  he  owned,  and  turned  it  into  good 
pieces  of  gold  ;  then  he  bought  and  secretly  fitted  out 
and  provisioned  a  ship,  and  at  last,  when  all  was  ready, 
carried  on  board  Havelok  (who  had  lain  hidden  all  this 
time),  his  own  three  sons  and  two  daughters  ;  then 
when  he  and  his  wife  had  gone  on  board  he  set  sail, 
and,  driven  by  a  favourable  wind,  reached  the  shores  of 
England. 

Goldborough  and  Earl  Godrich 

Meanwhile  in  England  a  somewhat  similar  fate  had 
befallen  a  fair  princess  named  Goldborough.  When 
her  father,  King  Athelwold,  lay  dying  all  his  people 
mourned,  for  he  was  the  flower  of  all  fair  England  for 
knighthood,  justice,  and  mercy;  and  he  himself  grieved 
sorely  for  the  sake  of  his  little  daughter,  soon  to  be  left 
an  orphan.  "  What  will  she  do  ? "  moaned  he.  "  She 
can  neither  speak  nor  walk  !  If  she  were  only  able  to 
ride,  to  rule  England,  and  to  guard  herself  from  shame, 
I  should  have  no  grief,  even  if  I  died  and  left  her 
alone,  while  I  lived  in  the  joy  of  paradise  !  " 

Then  Athelwold  summoned  a  council  to  be  held  at 
Winchester,  and  asked  the  advice  of  the  nobles  as  to 
die  care  of  the  infant  Goldborough.  They  with  one 
accord  recommended  Earl  Godrich  of  Cornwall  to  be 
made  regent  for  the  little  princess  ;  and  the  earl,  on 
being  appointed,  swore  with  all  solemn  rites  that  he 
would  marry  her  at  twelve  years  old  to  the  highest, 
the  best,  fairest,  and  strongest  man  alive,  and  in  the 
meantime  would  train  her  in  all  royal  virtues  and 
80 


HAVELOK  BECOMES  COOK'S  BOY 

customs.  So  King  Athelwold  died,  and  was  buried 
with  great  lamentations,  and  Godrich  ruled  the  land  as 
regent.  He  was  a  strict  but  just  governor,  and  England 
had  great  peace,  without  and  within,  under  his  severe 
rule,  for  all  lived  in  awe  of  him,  though  no  man  loved 
him.  Goldborough  grew  and  throve  in  all  ways,  and 
became  famous  through  the  land  for  her  gracious 
beauty  and  gentle  and  virtuous  demeanour.  This 
roused  the  jealousy  of  Earl  Godrich,  who  had  played 
the  part  of  king  so  long  that  he  almost  believed  him- 
self King  of  England,  and  he  began  to  consider  how 
he  could  secure  the  kingdom  for  himself  and  his  son. 
Thereupon  he  had  Goldborough  taken  from  Winchester, 
where  she  kept  royal  state,  to  Dover,  where  she  was 
imprisoned  in  the  castle,  and  strictly  secluded  from  all 
her  friends  ;  there  she  remained,  with  poor  clothes  and 
scanty  food,  awaiting  a  champion  to  uphold  her  right. 

Havelok  Becomes  Cook's  Boy 

When  Grim  sailed  from  Denmark  to  England  he 
landed  in  the  Humber,  at  the  place  now  called  Grimsby, 
and  there  established  himself  as  a  fisherman.  So  suc- 
cessful was  he  that  for  twelve  years  he  supported  his 
family  well,  and  carried  his  catches  of  fish  far  afield, 
even  to  Lincoln,  where  rare  fish  always  brought  a  good 
price.  In  all  this  time  Grim  never  once  called  on 
Havelok  for  help  in  the  task  of  feeding  the  family  ;  he 
reverenced  his  king,  and  the  whole  household  served 
Havelok  with  the  utmost  deference,  and  often  went 
with  scanty  rations  to  satisfy  the  boy's  great  appetite. 
At  length  Havelok  began  to  think  how  selfishly  he 
was  living,  and  how  much  food  he  consumed,  and  was 
filled  with  shame  when  he  realized  how  his  foster-father 
toiled  unweariedly  while  he  did  nothing  to  help.  In 
his  remorseful  meditations  it  became  clear  to  him  that, 

81 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

though  a  king's  son,  he  ought  to  do  some  useful  work. 
"  Of  what  use,"  thought  he,  is  my  great  strength  and 
stature  if  I  do  not  employ  it  for  some  good  purpose  ? 
There  is  no  shame  in  honest  toil.  I  will  work  for  my 
food,  and  try  to  make  some  return  to  Father  Grim, 
who  has  done  so  much  for  me.  I  will  gladly  bear  his 
baskets  of  fish  to  market,  and  I  will  begin  to-morrow." 

On  the  next  day,  in  spite  of  Grim's  protests, 
Havelok  carried  a  load  of  fish  equal  to  four  men's 
burden  to  Grimsby  market,  and  sold  it  successfully, 
returning  home  with  the  money  he  received  ;  and  this 
he  did  day  by  day,  till  a  famine  arose  and  fish  and 
food  both  became  scarce.  Then  Grim,  more  concerned 
for  Havelok  than  for  his  own  children,  called  the  youth 
to  him  and  bade  him  try  his  fortunes  in  Lincoln,  for 
his  own  sake  and  for  theirs  ;  he  would  be  better  fed, 
and  the  little  food  Grim  could  get  would  go  further 
among  the  others  if  Havelok  were  not  there.  The  one 
obstacle  in  the  way  was  Havelok's  lack  of  clothes,  and 
Grim  overcame  that  by  sacrificing  his  boat's  sail  to 
make  Havelok  a  coarse  tunic.  That  done,  they  bade 
each  other  farewell,  and  Havelok  started  for  Lincoln, 
barefooted  and  bareheaded,  for  his  only  garment  was 
the  sailcloth  tunic.  In  Lincoln  Havelok  found  no 
friends  and  no  food  for  two  days,  and  he  was  desperate 
and  faint  with  hunger,  when  he  heard  a  call  :  "  Porters, 
porters  !  hither  to  me  !  "  Roused  to  new  vigour  by 
the  chance  of  work,  Havelok  rushed  with  the  rest, 
and  bore  down  and  hurled  aside  the  other  porters  so 
vigorously  that  he  was  chosen  to  carry  provisions  for 
Bertram,  the  earl's  cook  ;  and  in  return  he  received 
the  first  meal  he  had  eaten  for  nearly  three  days. 

On  the  next  day  Havelok  again  overthrew  the 
porters,  and,  knocking  down  at  least  sixteen,  secured  the 
work.  This  time  he  had  to  carry  fish,  and  his  basket 
8z 


Havelok  again  overthrew  the  porters" 


HAVELOK  AND  GOLDBOROUGH 

was  so  laden  that  he  bore  nearly  a  cartload,  with 
which  he  ran  to  the  castle.  There  the  cook,  amazed  at 
his  strength,  first  gave  him  a  hearty  meal,  and  then 
offered  him  good  service  under  himself,  with  food  and 
lodging  for  his  wages.  This  offer  Havelok  accepted, 
and  was  installed  as  cook's  boy,  and  employed  in  all  the 
lowest  offices — carrying  wood,  water,  turf,  hewing  logs, 
lifting,  fetching,  carrying — and  in  all  he  showed  him- 
self a  wonderfully  strong  worker,  with  unfailing  good 
temper  and  gentleness,  so  that  the  little  children  aU 
loved  the  big,  gentle,  fair-haired  youth  who  worked 
so  quietly  and  played  with  them  so  merrily.  When 
Havelok's  old  tunic  became  worn  out,  his  master,  the 
cook,  took  pity  on  him  and  gave  him  a  new  suit,  and 
then  it  could  be  seen  how  handsome  and  tall  and  strong 
a  youth  this  cook's  boy  really  was,  and  his  fame  spread 
far  and  wide  round  Lincoln  Town. 

Havelok  and  Goldborough 

At  the  great  fair  of  Lincoln,  sports  of  all  kinds  were 
indulged  in,  and  in  these  Havelok  took  his  part,  for 
the  cook,  proud  of  his  mighty  scullion,  urged  him  to 
compete  in  all  the  games  and  races.  As  Earl  Godrich 
had  summoned  his  Parliament  to  meet  that  year  at 
Lincoln,  there  was  a  great  concourse  of  spectators, 
and  even  the  powerful  Earl  Regent  himself  sometimes 
watched  the  sports  and  cheered  the  champions.  The 
first  contest  was  "putting  the  stone,"  and  the  stone 
chosen  was  so  weighty  that  none  but  the  most  stalwart 
could  lift  it  above  the  knee — none  could  raise  it  to  his 
breast.  This  sport  was  new  to  Havelok,  who  had 
never  seen  it  before,  but  when  the  cook  bade  him  try 
his  strength  he  lifted  the  stone  easily  and  threw  it 
more  than  twelve  feet.  This  mighty  deed  caused  his 
fame  to  be  spread,  not  only  among  the  poor  servants 

H  83 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

with  whom  Havelok  was  classed,  but  also  among  the 
barons,  their  masters,  and  Havelok's  Stone  became  a 
landmark  in  Lincoln.  Thus  Godrich  heard  of  a  youth 
who  stood  head  and  shoulders  taller  than  other  men, 
and  was  stronger,  more  handsome — and  yet  a  mere 
common  scullion.  The  news  brought  him  a  flash  of 
inspiration  :  "  Here  is  the  highest,  strongest,  best  man 
in  all  England,  and  him  shall  Goldborough  wed.  I 
shall  keep  my  vow  to  the  letter,  and  England  must  fall 
to  me,  for  Goldborough's  royal  blood  will  be  lost  by 
her  marriage  with  a  thrall,  the  people  will  refuse  her 
obedience,  and  England  will  cast  her  out." 

Godrich  therefore  brought  Goldborough  to  Lincoln, 
received  her  with  bell-ringing  and  seemly  rejoicing, 
and  bade  her  prepare  for  her  wedding.  This  the 
princess  refused  to  do  until  she  knew  who  was  her 
destined  husband,  for  she  said  she  would  wed  no  man 
who  was  not  of  royal  birth.  Her  firmness  drove  Earl 
Godrich  to  fierce  wrath,  and  he  burst  out :  "  Wilt  thou 
be  queen  and  mistress  over  me  ?  Thy  pride  shall  be 
brought  down  :  thou  shalt  have  no  royal  spouse  :  a 
vagabond  and  scullion  shalt  thou  wed,  and  that  no 
later  than  to-morrow  !  Curses  on  him  who  speaks  thee 
fair  !  "  In  vain  the  princess  wept  and  bemoaned  her- 
self :  the  wedding  was  fixed  for  the  morrow  morn. 

The  next  day  at  dawn  Earl  Godrich  sent  for  Have- 
lok, the  mighty  cook's  boy,  and  asked  him  :  "  Wilt 
thou  take  a  wife  ?" 

"  Nay,"  quoth  Havelok,  "  that  will  I  not.  I  cannot 
feed  her,  much  less  clothe  and  lodge  her.  My  very 
garments  are  not  my  own,  but  belong  to  the  cook,  my 
master."  Godrich  fell  upon  Havelok  and  beat  him 
furiously,  saying,  "  Unless  thou  wilt  take  the  wench  I 
give  thee  for  wife  I  will  hang  or  blind  thee  "  ;  and  so, 
in  great  fear,  Havelock  agreed  to  the  wedding.  At 


1  Welcome,  dear  lord  !  '  " 


HAVELOK  AND  GOLDBOROUGH 

once  Goldborough  was  brought,  and  forced  into  an 
immediate  marriage,  under  penalty  of  banishment  or 
burning  as  a  witch  if  she  refused.  And  thus  the  un- 
willing couple  were  united  by  the  Archbishop  of  York, 
who  had  come  to  attend  the  Parliament. 

Never  was  there  so  sad  a  wedding !  The  people 
murmured  greatly  at  this  unequal  union,  and  pitied  the 
poor  princess,  thus  driven  to  wed  a  man  of  low  birth  ; 
and  Goldborough  herself  wept  pitifully,  but  resigned 
herself  to  God's  will.  All  men  now  acknowledged  with 
grief  that  she  and  her  husband  could  have  no  claim  to 
the  English  throne,  and  thus  Godrich  seemed  to  have 
gained  his  object.  Havelok  and  his  unwilling  bride 
recognised  that  they  would  not  be  safe  near  Godrich, 
and  as  Havelok  had  no  home  in  Lincoln  to  which  he 
could  take  the  princess,  he  determined  to  go  back  to  his 
faithful  foster-father,  Grim,  and  put  the  fair  young  bride 
under  his  loyal  protection.  Sorrowfully,  with  grief  and 
shame  in  their  hearts,  Havelok  and  Goldborough  made 
their  way  on  foot  to  Grimsby,  only  to  find  the  loyal 
Grim  dead  ;  but  his  five  children  were  alive  and  in 
prosperity.  When  they  saw  Havelok  and  his  wife  they 
fell  on  their  knees  and  saluted  them  with  all  respect 
and  reverence.  In  their  joy  to  see  their  king  again, 
these  worthy  fisherfolk  forgot  their  newly  won  wealth, 
and  said  :  "  Welcome,  dear  lord,  and  thy  fair  lady  ! 
What  joy  is  ours  to  see  thee  again,  for  thy  subjects  are 
we,  and  thou  canst  do  with  us  as  thou  wilt.  All  that 
we  have  is  thine,  and  if  thou  wilt  dwell  with  us  we  will 
serve  thee  and  thy  wife  truly  in  all  ways  !  "  This 
greeting  surprised  Goldborough,  who  began  to  suspect 
some  mystery,  and  she  was  greatly  comforted  when 
brothers  and  sisters  busied  themselves  in  lighting  fires, 
cooking  meals,  and  waiting  on  her  hand  and  foot,  as  if 
she  had  been  indeed  a  king's  wife.  Havelok,  however, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

said  nothing  to  explain  the  mystery,  and  Goldborough 
that  night  lay  awake  bewailing  her  fate  as  a  thrall's 
bride,  even  though  he  was  the  fairest  man  in  England. 

The  Revelation  and  Return  to  Denmark 

As  Goldborough  lay  sleepless  and  unhappy  she  be- 
came aware  of  a  brilliant  light  shining  around  Havelok, 
and  streaming  from  his  mouth  ;  and  while  she  feared 
and  wondered  an  angelic  voice  cried  to  her  : 

"  Fair  Princess,  cease  tkis  grief  and  heavy  moan  ! 
For  Havelok,  thy  newly  wedded  spouse, 
Is  son  and  heir  to  famous  kings  :  the  sign 
Thou  findest  in  the  cross  of  ruddy  gold 
That  shineth  on  his  shoulder.     He  shall  be 
Monarch  and  ruler  of  two  mighty  realms  ; 
Denmark  and  England  shall  obey  his  rule, 
And  he  shall  sway  them  with  a  sure  command. 
This  shah  thou  see  with  thine  own  eyes,  and  be 
Lady  and  Queen,  with  Havelok,  o'er  these  lands." 

This  angelic  message  so  gladdened  Goldborough  that 
she  kissed,  for  the  first  time,  her  unconscious  husband, 
who  started  up  from  his  sleep,  saying,  "  Dear  love, 
sleepest  thou  ?  I  have  had  a  wondrous  dream.  I 
thought  I  sat  on  a  lofty  hill,  and  saw  all  Denmark 
before  me.  As  I  stretched  out  my  arms  I  embraced  it 
all,  and  the  people  clung  to  my  arms,  and  the  castles 
fell  at  my  feet  ;  then  I  flew  over  the  salt  sea  with  the 
Danish  people  clinging  to  me,  and  I  closed  all  fair 
England  in  my  hand,  and  gave  it  to  thee,  dear  love  1 
Now  what  can  this  mean  ?  " 

Goldborough  answered  joyfully  :  "  It  means,  dear 
heart,  that  thou  shalt  be  King  of  Denmark  and  of  Eng- 
land too  :  all  these  realms  shall  fall  into  thy  power,  and 
thou  shalt  be  ruler  in  Denmark  within  one  year.  Now 
do  thou  follow  my  advice,  and  let  us  go  to  Denmark, 
taking  with  us  Grim's  three  sons,  who  will  accompany 


HAVELOK  AND  UBBE 
thee  for  love  and  loyalty  ;  and  have  no  fear,  for  I  know 

thou  wilt  succeed." 

The  next  morning  Havelok  went  to  church  early,  and 
prayed  humbly  and  heartily  for  success  in  his  enterprise 
and  retribution  on  the  false  traitor  Godard  ;  then,  laying 
his  offering  on  the  altar  before  the  Cross,  he  went  away 
glad  in  heart.  Grim's  three  sons,  Robert  the  Red, 
William  Wendut,  and  Hugh  the  Raven,  joyfully  con- 
sented to  go  with  Havelok  to  Denmark,  to  attack  with 
all  their  power  the  false  Jarl  Godard  and  to  win  the 
kingdom  for  the  rightful  heir.  Their  wives  and  families 
stayed  in  England,  but  Goldborough  would  not  leave 
her  husband,  and  after  a  short  voyage  the  party  landed 
safely  on  the  shores  of  Denmark,  in  the  lands  of  Jarl 
Ubbe,  an  old  friend  of  King  Birkabeyn,  who  lived  far 
from  the  court  now  that  a  usurper  held  sway  in  Denmark. 

Havelok  and  Ubbe 

Havelok  dared  not  reveal  himself  and  his  errand 
until  he  knew  more  of  the  state  of  parties  in  the 
country,  and  he  therefore  only  begged  permission  to 
live  and  trade  there,  giving  Ubbe,  as  a  token  of  good- 
will and  a  tribute  to  his  power,  a  valuable  ring,  which 
the  jarl  prized  greatly.  Ubbe,  gazing  at  the  so-called 
merchant's  great  stature  and  beauty,  lamented  that  h 
was  not  of  noble  birth,  and  planned  to  persuade  him 
to  take  up  the  profession  of  arms.  At  first,  however, 
he  simply  granted  Havelok  permission  to  trade,  and 
invited  him  and  Goldborough  to  a  feast,  promising 
them  safety  and  honour  under  his  protection.  Have- 
lok dreaded  lest  his  wife's  beauty  might  place  them  in 
ieopardy,  but  he  dared  not  refuse  the  invitation,  which 
was  pointedly  given  to  both ;  accordingly,  when  they 
went  to  Ubbe's  hall,  Goldborough  was  escorted  by 
Robert  the  Red  and  William  Wendut 

87 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Ubbe  received  them  with  all  honour,  and  all  men 
marvelled  at  Goldborough's  beauty,  and  Ubbe's  wife 
loved  Goldborough  at  first  sight  as  her  husband  did 
Havelok,  so  that  the  feast  passed  off  with  all  joy  and 
mirth,  and  none  dared  raise  a  hand  or  lift  his  voice 
against  the  wandering  merchant  whom  Ubbe  so  strangely 
favoured.  But  Ubbe  knew  that  when  once  Havelok 
and  his  wife  were  away  from  his  protection  there  would 
be  little  safety  for  them,  since  the  rough  Danish  nobles 
would  think  nothing  of  stealing  a  trader's  fair  wife,  and 
many  a  man  had  cast  longing  eyes  on  Goldborough's 
loveliness.  Therefore  when  the  feast  was  over,  and 
Havelok  took  his  leave,  Ubbe  sent  with  him  a  body  of 
ten  knights  and  sixty  men-at-arms,  and  recommended 
them  to  the  magistrate  of  the  town,  Bernard  Brown, 
a  true  and  upright  man,  bidding  him,  as  he  prized 
his  life,  keep  the  strangers  in  safety  and  honour.  Well 
it  was  that  Ubbe  and  Bernard  Brown  took  these  pre- 
cautions, for  late  at  night  a  riotous  crowd  came  to 
Bernard's  house  clamouring  for  admittance.  Bernard 
withstood  the  angry  mob,  armed  with  a  great  axe,  but 
they  burst  the  door  in  by  hurling  a  huge  stone  ;  and 
then  Havelok  joined  in  the  defence.  He  drew  out  the 
great  beam  which  barred  the  door,  and  crying,  "  Come 
quickly  to  me,  and  you  shall  stay  here  !  Curses  on  him 
who  flees  !  "  began  to  lay  about  him  with  the  big  beam,  so 
that  three  fell  dead  at  once.  A  terrible  fight  followed,  in 
which  Havelok,  armed  only  with  the  beam,  slew  twenty 
men  in  armour,  and  was  then  sore  beset  by  the  rest  of  the 
troop,  aiming  darts  and  arrows  at  his  unarmoured  breast. 
It  was  going  hardly  with  him,  when  Hugh  the  Raven, 
hearing  and  understanding  the  cries  of  the  assailants, 
called  his  brothers  to  their  lord's  aid,  and  they  all  joined 
the  fight  so  furiously  that,  long  ere  day,  of  the  sixty  men 
who  had  attacked  the  inn  not  one  remained  alive. 
88 


With  great  joy  they  fell  on  their  knees  " 


HAVELOK  AND  UBBE 

In  the  morning  news  was  brought  to  Jarl  Ubbe  that 
his  stranger  guest  had  slain  sixty  of  the  best  of  his 
soldiery. 

«  What  can  this  mean  ?  "  said  Ubbe.  "  I  had  better 
go  and  see  to  it  myself,  for  any  messenger  would 
surely  treat  Havelok  discourteously,  and  I  should  be 
full  loath  to  do  that."  He  rode  away  to  the  house  of 
Bernard  Brown,  and  asked  the  meaning  of  its  damaged 
and  battered  appearance. 

"  My  lord,"  answered  Bernard  Brown,  "  last  night 
at  moonrise  there  came  a  band  of  sixty  thieves  who 
would  have  plundered  my  house  and  bound  me  hand 
and  foot.  When  Havelok  and  his  companions  saw  it 
they  came  to  my  aid,  with  sticks  and  stones,  and  drove 
out  the  robbers  like  dogs  from  a  mill.  Havelok  himselt 
slew  three  at  one  blow.  Never  have  I  seen  a  warrior 
so  good  !  He  is  worth  a  thousand  in  a  fray.  But 
alas !  he  is  grievously  wounded,  with  three  deadly 
gashes  in  side  and  arm  and  thigh,  and  at  least  twenty 
smaller  wounds.  I  am  scarcely  harmed  at  all,  but  I 
fear  he  will  die  full  soon." 

Ubbe  could  scarcely  believe  so  strange  a  tale,  but  all 
the  bystanders  swore  that  Bernard  told  nothing  but  the 
bare  truth,  and  that  the  whole  gang  of  thieves,  with 
their  leader,  Griffin  the  Welshman,  had  been  slain  by 
the  hero  and  his  small  party.  Then  Ubbe  bade  them 
bring  Havelok,  that  he  might  call  a  leech  to  heal  his 
wounds,  for  if  the  stranger  merchant  should  live  Jarl 
Ubbe  would  without  fail  dub  him  knight ;  and  when  the 
leech  had  seen  the  wounds  he  said  the  patient  would 
make  a  good  and  quick  recovery.  Then  Ubbe  offered 
Havelok  and  his  wife  a  dwelling  in  his  own  castle, 
under  his  own  protection,  till  Havelok's  grievous 
wounds  were  healed.  There,  too,  fair  Goldborough 
would"  be  under  the  care  of  Ubbe's  wife,  who  would 

89 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

cherish  her  as  her  own  daughter.  This  kind  offer  was 
accepted  gladly,  and  they  all  went  to  the  castle,  where  a 
room  was  given  them  next  to  Ubbe's  own. 

At  midnight  Ubbe  woke,  aroused  by  a  bright  light 
in  Havelok's  room,  which  was  only  separated  from  his 
own  by  a  slight  wooden  partition.  He  was  vexed, 
suspecting  his  guest  of  midnight  wassailing,  and  went 
to  inquire  what  villainy  might  be  hatching.  To  his 
surprise,  both  husband  and  wife  were  sound  asleep,  but 
the  light  shone  from  Havelok's  mouth,  and  made  a 
glory  round  his  head.  Utterly  amazed  at  the  marvel, 
Ubbe  went  away  silently,  and  returned  with  all  the 
garrison  of  his  castle  to  the  room  where  his  guests 
still  lay  sleeping.  As  they  gazed  on  the  light  Havelok 
turned  in  his  sleep,  and  they  saw  on  his  shoulder  the 
golden  cross,  shining  like  the  sun,  which  all  men  knew 
to  be  the  token  of  royal  birth.  Then  Ubbe  exclaimed  : 
"  Now  I  know  who  this  is,  and  why  I  loved  him  so 
dearly  at  first  sight :  this  is  the  son  of  our  dead  King 
Birkabeyn.  Never  was  man  so  like  another  as  this  man 
is  to  the  dead  king  :  he  is  his  very  image  and  his  true 
heir."  With  great  joy  they  fell  on  their  knees  and 
kissed  him  eagerly,  and  Havelok  awoke  and  began  to 
scowl  furiously,  for  he  thought  it  was  some  treacherous 
attack  ;  but  Ubbe  soon  undeceived  him. 

u  *  Dear  lord,'  quoth  he,  *  be  thou  in  naught  dismayed, 
For  in  thine  eyes  methinks  I  see  thy  thought — 
Dear  son,  great  joy  is  mine  to  live  this  day  ! 
My  homage,  lord,  I  freely  offer  thee  : 
Thy  loyal  men  and  vassak  are  we  all, 
For  thou  art  son  of  mighty  Birkabeyn, 
And  soon  shall  conquer  all  thy  father's  land, 
Though  thou  art  young  and  almost  friendless  here. 
To-morrow  will  we  swear  our  fealty  due, 
And  dub  thee  knight,  for  prowess  unexcelled.' " 

Now  Havelok  knew  that  his  worst  danger  was  over, 
90 


HAVELOK  AND  UBBE 

and  he  thanked  God  for  the  friend  He  had  sent  him, 
and  left  to  the  good  Jarl  Ubbe  the  management  of  his 
cause.  Ubbe  gathered  an  assembly  of  as  many  mighty 
men  of  the  realm,  and  barons,  and  good  citizens,  as  he 
could  summon  ;  and  when  they  were  all  assembled, 
wondering  what  was  the  cause  of  this  imperative 
summons,  Ubbe  arose  and  said  : 

"  Gentles,  bear  with  me  if  I  tell  you  first  things  well 
known  to  you.  Ye  know  that  King  Birkabeyn  ruled 
this  land  until  his  death-day,  and  that  he  left  three 
children — one  son,  Havelok,  and  two  daughters — to  the 
guardianship  of  Jarl  Godard :  ye  all  heard  him  swear 
to  keep  them  loyally  and  treat  them  well.  But  ye  do 
not  know  how  he  kept  his  oath !  The  false  traitor 
slew  both  the  maidens,  and  would  have  slain  the  boy, 
but  for  pity  he  would  not  kill  the  child  with  his  own 
hands.  He  bade  a  fisherman  drown  him  in  the  sea  ; 
but  when  the  good  man  knew  that  it  was  the  right- 
ful heir,  he  saved  the  boy's  life  and  fled  with  him  to 
England,  where  Havelok  has  been  brought  up  for 
many  years.  And  now,  behold !  here  he  stands.  In 
all  the  world  he  has  no  peer,  and  ye  may  well  rejoice 
in  the  beauty  and  manliness  of  your  king.  Come  now 
and  pay  homage  to  Havelok,  and  I  myself  will  be  your 
leader  ! " 

Jarl  Ubbe  turned  to  Havelok,  where  he  stood  with 
Goldborough  beside  him,  and  knelt  before  him  to  do 
homage,  an  example  which  was  followed  by  all  present. 
At  a  second  and  still  larger  assembly  held  a  fortnight 
later  a  similar  oath  of  fealty  was  sworn  by  all,  Havelok 
was  dubbed  knight  by  the  noble  Ubbe,  and  a  great 
festival  was  celebrated,  with  sports  and  amusements  for 
the  populace.  A  council  of  war  and  vengeance  was 
held  with  the  great  nobles. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Death  of  Godard 

Havelok,  now  acknowledged  King  of  Denmark, 
was  unsatisfied  until  he  had  punished  the  treacherous 
Godard,  and  he  took  a  solemn  oath  from  his  soldiers 
that  they  would  never  cease  the  search  for  the  traitor 
till  they  had  captured  him  and  brought  him  bound  to 
judgment.  After  all,  Godard  was  captured  as  he  was 
hunting.  Grim's  three  sons,  now  knighted  by  King 
Havelok,  met  him  in  the  forest,  and  bade  him  come 
to  the  king,  who  called  on  him  to  remember  and 
account  for  his  treatment  of  Birkabeyn's  children. 
Godard  struck  out  furiously  with  his  fists,  but  Sir 
Robert  the  Red  wounded  him  in  the  right  arm.  When 
Godard's  men  joined  in  the  combat,  Robert  and  his 
brothers  soon  slew  ten  of  their  adversaries,  and  the 
rest  fled  ;  returning,  ashamed  at  the  bitter  reproaches 
of  their  lord,  they  were  all  slain  by  Havelok's  men. 
Godard  was  taken,  bound  hand  and  foot,  placed  on  a 
miserable  jade  with  his  face  to  the  tail,  and  so  led  to 
Havelok.  The  king  refused  to  be  the  judge  of  his 
own  cause,  and  entrusted  to  Ubbe  the  task  of  presiding 
at  the  traitor's  trial.  No  mercy  was  shown  to  the  cruel 
Jarl  Godard,  and  he  was  condemned  to  a  traitor's 
death,  with  torments  of  terrible  barbarity.  The  sentence 
was  carried  out  to  the  letter,  and  Denmark  rejoiced  in 
the  punishment  of  a  cruel  villain. 

Death  of  Godrich 

Meanwhile  Earl  Godrich  of  Cornwall  had  heard 
with  great  uneasiness  that  Havelok  had  become  King 
of  Denmark,  and  intended  to  invade  England  with  a 
mighty  army  to  assert  his  wife's  right  to  the  throne. 
He  recognised  that  his  own  device  to  shame  Gold- 
borough  had  turned  against  him,  and  that  he  must 
92 


On  a  miserable  jade  with  his  face  to  the  tail1 


DEATH  OF  GODR1CH 

now  fight  for  his  life  and  the  usurped  dominion  he  held 
over  England.  Godrich  summoned  his  army  to  Lincoln 
for  the  defence  of  the  realm  against  the  Danes,  and 
called  out  every  man  fit  to  bear  weapons,  on  pain  or 
becoming  thrall  if  they  failed  him.  Then  he  thus 
addressed  them : 

"  Friends,  listen  to  my  words,  and  you  will  know 
'Tis  not  for  sport,  nor  idle  show,  that  I 
Have  bidden  you  to  meet  at  Lincoln  here. 
Lo  !  here  at  Grimsby  foreigners  are  come 
Who  have  already  won  the  Priory. 
These  Danes  are  cruel  heathen,  who  destroy 
Our  churches  and  our  abbeys  :  priests  and  nuns 
They  torture  to  the  death,  or  lead  away 
To  serve  as  slaves  the  haughty  Danish  jarls. 
Now,  Englishmen,  what  counsel  will  ye  take  ? 
If  we  submit,  they  will  rule  all  our  land, 
Will  kill  us  all,  and  sell  our  babes  for  thralls, 
Will  take  our  wives  and  daughters  for  their  own. 
Help  me,  if  ever  ye  loved  English  land, 
To  fight  these  heathen  and  to  cleanse  our  soil 
From  hateful  presence  of  these  alien  hordes. 
I  make  my  vow  to  God  and  all  the  saints 
I  will  not  rest,  nor  houseled  be,  nor  shriven, 
Until  our  realm  be  free  from  Danish  foe  ! 
Accursed  be  he  who  strikes  no  blow  for  home  ! " 

The  army  was  inspired  with  valour  by  these  coura- 
geous words,  and  the  march  to  Grimsby  began  at 
once,  with  Earl  Godrich  in  command.  Havelok's  men 
marched  out  gallantly  to  meet  them,  and  when  the 
battle  joined  many  mighty  deeds  of  valour  were  done, 
especially  by  the  king  himself,  his  foster-brothers,  and 
Jarl  Ubbe.  The  battle  lasted  long  and  was  very  fierce 
and  bloody,  but  the  Danes  gradually  overcame  the 
resistance  of  the  English,  and  at  last,  after  a  great  hand- 
to-h  conflict,  King  Havelok  captured  Godrich.  The 
trai^  earl,  who  had  lost  a  hand  in  the  fray,  was  sent 

93 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

bound  and  fettered  to  Queen  Goldborough,  who  kept 
him,  carefully  guarded,  until  he  could  be  tried  by  his 
peers,  since  (for  all  his  treason)  he  was  still  a  knight. 

When  the  English  recognised  their  rightful  lady 
and  queen  they  did  homage  with  great  joy,  begging 
mercy  for  having  resisted  their  lawful  ruler  at  the 
command  of  a  wicked  traitor ;  and  the  king  and  queen 
pardoned  all  but  Godrich,  who  was  speedily  brought 
to  trial  at  Lincoln.  He  was  sentenced  to  be  burnt 
at  the  stake,  and  the  sentence  was  carried  out  amid 
general  rejoicings. 

Now  that  vengeance  was  satisfied,  Havelok  and  his 
wife  thought  of  recompensing  the  loyal  helpers  who 
had  believed  in  them  and  supported  them  through 
the  long  years  of  adversity.  Havelok  married  one 
of  Grim's  daughters  to  the  Earl  of  Chester,  and  the 
other  to  Bertram,  the  good  cook,  who  became  Earl 
of  Cornwall  in  the  place  of  the  felon  Godrich  and 
his  disinherited  children  ;  the  heroic  Ubbe  was  made 
Regent  of  Denmark  for  Havelok,  who  decided  to  stay 
and  rule  England,  and  all  the  noble  Danish  warriors 
were  rewarded  with  gifts  of  gold,  and  lands  and  castles. 
After  a  great  coronation  feast,  which  lasted  for  forty 
days,  King  Havelok  dismissed  the  Danish  regent  and 
his  followers,  and  after  sad  farewells  they  returned  to 
their  own  country.  Havelok  and  Goldborough  ruled 
England  in  peace  and  security  for  sixty  years,  and  lived 
together  in  all  bliss,  and  had  fifteen  children,  who  all 
became  mighty  kings  and  queens. 


94 


CHAPTER  VI :  HOWARD  THE  HALT 

Introduction 

IN  every  society  and  in  all  periods  the  obligations 
of  family  affection  and  duty  to  kinsmen  have  been 
recognised  as  paramount.     In  the  early  European 
communities  a  man's  first  duty  was  to  stand  by  his 
kinsman  in  strife  and  to  avenge  him  in  death,  however 
unrighteous  the  kinsman's  quarrel  might  be. 

How  pitiful  is  the  aged  Priam's  lament  that  he  must 
needs  kiss  the  hands  that  slew  his  dear  son  Hector,  and, 
kneeling,  clasp  the  knees  of  his  son's  murderer  I  How 
sad  is  Cuchulain's  plaint  that  his  son  Connla  must  go 
down  to  the  grave  unavenged,  since  his  own  father  slew 
him,  all  unwitting  !  One  remembers,  too,  BeowulPs 
words  :  "  Better  it  is  for  every  man  that  he  avenge  his 
friend  than  that  he  mourn  him  much  ! "  Since,  then, 
family  affection,  the  laws  of  honour  and  duty,  and  every 
recognised  standard  of  life  demanded  that  a  kinsman 
should  obtain  a  full  wergild  (or  money  payment)  for  his 
relative's  death,  unless  he  chose  to  take  up  the  blood- 
feud  against  the  murderer's  family,  we  can  hardly 
wonder  that  some  of  the  heroes  of  early  European 
literature  are  heroes  of  vengeance.  Orestes  and  Electra 
are  Greek  embodiments  of  the  idea  of  the  sacredness  of 
vengeance  for  murdered  kinsfolk,  and  similar  feelings 
are  revealed  in  Gudrun's  revenge  for  the  murder  of 
Siegfried  in  the  "  Nibelungenlied."  To  the  Teutonic 
or  Celtic  warrior  there  would  be  heroism  of  a  noble 
type  in  a  just  vengeance  fully  accomplished,  and  this 
heroism  would  be  more  easily  recognised  when  the 
wrongdoer  was  rich  and  powerful,  the  avenger  old, 
poor,  and  friendless.  While  admitting  that  the  hero 
of  vengeance  belongs  to  and  represents  only  one  side  of 
the  civilisation  of  a  somewhat  barbaric  community,  we 

95 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
must  allow  that  the  elements  of  dogged  perseverance, 
dauntless  courage,  and  resolute  loyalty  in  some  degree 
redeemed  the  ferocity  and  cruelty  of  the  blood-feud  he 
waged  against  the  ill-doer. 

It  is  certain  that  in  the  popular  Icelandic  saga  of 
"  Howard  the  Halt "  tradition  has  recorded  with  minute 
detail  of  approbation  the  story  of  a  man  and  woman,  old, 
weak,  friendless,  who,  in  spite  of  terrible  odds,  succeeded 
in  obtaining  a  late  but  sufficing  vengeance  for  the  cruel 
slaughter  of  their  only  son,  the  murderer  being  the  most 
powerful  man  of  the  region.  The  part  here  assigned 
to  the  woman  indicates  the  firm  hold  which  the  blood- 
feud  had  gained  on  the  imagination  of  the  Norsemen. 

Icelandic  Ghosts 

The  story  possesses  a  further  interest  as  revealing 
the  unique  character  of  the  Icelandic  ghost  or  phantom. 
In  other  literatures  the  spirit  returned  from  the  dead 
is  a  thin,  immaterial,  disembodied  essence,  a  faint 
shadow  of  its  former  self;  in  Icelandic  legend  the 
spirit  returns  in  full  possession  of  its  body,  but  more 
evil-disposed  to  mankind  than  before  death.  It  fights 
and  wrestles,  pummels  its  adversary  black  and  blue,  it 
is  huge  and  bloated  and  hideous,  it  tries  to  strangle 
men,  and  leaves  finger-marks  on  their  throats.  If  the 
ghosts  are  those  of  drowned  men,  they  come  home 
every  night  dripping  with  sea-water,  and  crowd  the 
family  from  the  fire  and  from  the  hall.  Apparently 
they  are  evil  spirits  animating  the  dead  body,  and 
nothing  but  the  utter  destruction  of  the  body  avails 
to  drive  away  the  malignant  spirit. 

The  Story.     Howard  and  Thorbiorn 

Thus  runs  the  saga  of  "  Howard  the  Halt "  : 
About  the  year  1000,  when  the  Christian  faith  had 

96 


HOWARD  AND  THORBIORN 

hardly  yet  been  heard  of  in  Iceland,  there  dwelt  at 
Bathstead,  on  the  shores  of  Icefirth,  in  that  far-distant 
land,  a  mighty  chieftain,  of  royal  descent  and  great 
wealth,  named  Thorbiorn.  Though  not  among  the 
first  settlers  of  Iceland,  he  had  appropriated  much  un- 
claimed land,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
country-side,  but  was  generally  disliked  for  his  arrogance 
and  injustice.  Thorkel,  the  lawman  and  arbitrator  of 
Icefirth,  was  weak  and  easily  cowed,  so  Thorbiorn's 
wrongdoing  remained  unchecked  ;  many  a  maiden  had 
he  betrothed  to  himself,  and  afterwards  rejected,  and 
many  a  man  had  he  ousted  from  his  lands,  yet  no  re- 
dress could  be  obtained,  and  no  man  was  bold  enough 
to  attack  so  great  a  chieftain  or  resist  his  will.  Thor- 
biorn's house  at  Bathstead  was  one  of  the  best  in  the 
district,  and  his  lands  stretched  down  to  the  shores  of 
the  firth,  where  he  had  made  a  haven  with  a  jetty  for 
ships.  His  boathouse  stood  a  little  back  above  a  ridge 
of  shingle,  and  beside  a  deep  pool  or  lagoon.  The 
household  of  Thorbiorn  included  Sigrid,  a  fair  maiden, 
young  and  wealthy,  who  was  his  housekeeper ;  Vakr, 
an  ill-conditioned  and  malicious  fellow,  Thorbiorn's 
nephew  ;  and  a  strong  and  trusted  serving-man  named 
Brand.  Besides  these  there  were  house-carles  in  plenty, 
and  labourers,  all  good  fighting-men. 

Not  far  from  Bathstead,  at  Bluemire,  dwelt  an  old 
Viking  called  Howard.  He  was  of  honourable  descent, 
and  had  won  fame  in  earlier  Viking  expeditions,  but 
since  he  had  returned  lamed  and  nearly  helpless  from 
his  last  voyage  he  had  aged  greatly,  and  men  called 
him  Howard  the  Halt.  His  wife,  Biargey,  however, 
was  an  active  and  stirring  woman,  and  their  only  son, 
Olaf,  bade  fair  to  become  a  redoubtable  warrior.  Though 
only  fifteen,  Olaf  had  reached  full  stature,  was  tall,  fair, 
handsome,  and  stronger  than  most  men.  He  wore  his 

97 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

fair  hair  long,  and  always  went  bareheaded,  for  his  great 
bodily  strength  defied  even  the  bitter  winter  cold  of 
Iceland,  and  he  faced  the  winds  clad  in  summer  raiment 
only.  With  all  his  strength  and  beauty,  Olaf  was  a 
loving  and  obedient  son  to  Howard  and  Biargey,  and 
the  couple  loved  him  as  the  apple  of  their  eye. 

Olaf  Meets  Sigrid 

The  men  of  Icefirth  were  wont  to  drive  their  sheep 
into  the  mountains  during  the  summer,  leave  them 
there  till  autumn,  and  then,  collecting  the  scattered 
flocks,  to  restore  to  each  man  his  own  branded  sheep. 
One  autumn  the  flocks  were  wild  and  shy,  and  it  was 
found  that  many  sheep  had  strayed  in  the  hills.  When 
those  that  had  been  gathered  were  divided  Thorbiorn 
had  lost  at  least  sixty  wethers,  and  was  greatly  vexed. 
Some  weeks  later  Olaf  Howardson  went  alone  into  the 
hills,  and  returned  with  all  the  lost  sheep,  having  sought 
them  with  great  toil  and  danger.  Olaf  drove  the  rest 
of  the  sheep  home  to  their  grateful  owners,  and  then 
took  Thorbiorn's  to  Bathstead.  Reaching  the  house 
at  noonday,  he  knocked  on  the  door,  and  as  all  men  sat 
at  their  noontide  meal,  the  housekeeper,  the  fair  Sigrid, 
went  forth  herself  and  saw  Olaf. 

She  greeted  him  courteously  and  asked  his  business, 
and  he  replied,  "I  have  brought  home  Thorbiorn's 
wethers  which  strayed  this  autumn,"  and  then  the  two 
talked  together  for  a  short  time.  Now  Thorbiorn  was 
curious  to  know  what  the  business  might  be,  and  sent 
his  nephew  Vakr  to  see  who  was  there ;  he  went 
secretly  and  listened  to  the  conversation  between  Sigrid 
and  Olaf,  but  heard  little,  for  Olaf  was  just  saying,  "  Then 
I  need  not  go  in  to  Thorbiorn  ;  thou,  Sigrid,  canst  as 
well  tell  him  where  his  sheep  are  now  ";  then  he  simply 
bade  her  farewell  and  turned  away. 
98 


Olaf  and   Sigrid 


THORBIORN  INSULTS  OLAF 

Vakr  ran  back  into  the  hall,  shouting  and  laughing, 
till  Thorbiorn  asked  :  "  How  now,  nephew  1  Why 
makest  thou  such  outcry  ?  Who  is  there  ?  " 

"It  was  Olaf  Howardson,  the  great  booby  of  Blue- 
mire,  bringing  back  the  sheep  thou  didst  lose  in  the 
autumn." 

"  That  was  a  neighbourly  deed,"  said  Thorbiorn. 

"  Ah  !  but  there  was  another  reason  for  his  coming, 
I  think,"  said  Vakr.  "  He  and  Sigrid  had  a  long  talk 
together,  and  I  saw  her  put  her  arms  round  his  neck  ; 
she  seemed  well  pleased  to  greet  him." 

"  Olaf  may  be  a  brave  man,  but  it  is  rash  of  him  to 
anger  me  thus,  by  trying  to  steal  away  my  housekeeper," 
said  Thorbiorn,  scowling  heavily.  Olaf  had  no  thanks 
for  his  kindness,  and  was  ill  received  whenever  he 
came  ;  yet  he  came  often  to  see  Sigrid,  for  he  loved 
her,  and  tried  to  persuade  her  to  wed  him.  Thorbiorn 
hated  him  the  more  for  his  open  wooing,  which  he 
could  not  forbid. 

Thorbiorn  Insults  Olaf 

The  next  year,  when  harvest  was  over,  and  the  sheep 
were  brought  home,  again  most  of  the  missing  sheep 
belonged  to  Thorbiorn,  and  again  Olaf  went  to  the 
mountains  alone  and  brought  back  the  stray  ones.  All 
thanked  him,  except  the  master  of  Bathstead,  to  whom 
Olaf  drove  back  sixty  wethers.  Thorbiorn  had  grown 
daily  more  enraged  at  Olaf  s  popularity,  his  strength 
and  beauty,  and  his  evident  love  for  Sigrid,  and  now 
chose  this  opportunity  of  insulting  the  bold  youth  who 
rivalled  him  in  fame  and  in  public  esteem. 

Olaf  reached  Bathstead  at  noon,  and  seeing  that  all 

men  were  in  the  hall,  he  entered,  and  made  his  way  to  the 

da'ls  where  Thorbiorn  sat  ;  there  he  leaned  on  his  axe, 

and  gazed  steadily  at  the  master,  who  gave  him  no 

i  99 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

single  word  of  greeting.  Then  every  one  kept  silence, 
watching  them  both. 

At  last  Olaf  broke  the  stillness  by  asking  :  "  Why  are 
you  all  dumb  ?  There  is  no  honour  to  those  who  say 
naught.  I  have  stood  here  long  enough  and  had  no 
word  of  courteous  greeting.  Master  Thorbiorn,  I  have 
brought  home  thy  missing  sheep." 

Vakr  answered  spitefully  :  "  Yes,  we  all  know  that 
thou  hast  become  the  Icefirth  sheep-drover  ;  and  we 
all  know  that  thou  hast  come  to  claim  some  share  of 
the  sheep,  as  any  other  beggar  might.  Kinsman  Thor- 
biorn, thou  hadst  better  give  him  some  little  alms  to 
satisfy  him  !  " 

Olaf  flushed  angrily  as  he  answered  :  "  Nay,  it  is  not 
for  that  I  came  ;  but,  Thorbiorn,  I  will  not  seek  thy 
lost  sheep  a  third  time."  And  as  he  turned  and  strode 
indignantly  from  the  hall  Vakr  mocked  and  jeered  at 
him.  Yet  Olaf  passed  forth  in  silence. 

The  third  year  Olaf  found  and  brought  home  all 
men's  sheep  but  Thorbiorn's  ;  and  then  Vakr  spread  the 
rumour  that  Olaf  had  stolen  them,  since  he  could  not 
otherwise  obtain  a  share  of  them.  This  rumour  came 
at  last  to  Howard's  ears,  and  he  upbraided  Olaf,  saying, 
when  his  son  praised  their  mutton,  "Yes,  it  is  good, 
and  it  is  really  ours,  not  Thorbiorn's.  It  is  terrible 
that  we  have  to  bear  such  injustice." 

Olaf  said  nothing,  but,  seizing  the  leg  of  mutton,  flung 
it  across  the  room  ;  and  Howard  smiled  at  the  wrath 
which  his  son  could  no  longer  suppress  ;  perhaps,  too, 
Howard  longed  to  see  Olar in  conflict  with  Thorbiorn. 

Olaf  and  the  Wizard's  Ghost 

While  Howard  was  still  upbraiding  Olaf  a  widow 
entered,  who  had  come  to  ask  for  help  in  a  difficult 
matter.  Her  dead  husband  (a  reputed  wizard)  returned 

100 


OLAF  AND  THE  WIZARD'S  GHOST 

to  his  house  night  after  night  as  a  dreadful  ghost,  and 
no  man  would  live  in  the  house.  Would  Howard  come 
and  break  the  spell  and  drive  away  the  dreadful  nightly 
visitant  ? 

"  Alas  !  "  replied  Howard,  "  I  am  no  longer  young 
and  strong.  Why  do  you  not  ask  Thorbiorn  ?  He 
accounts  himself  to  be  chief  here,  and  a  chieftain  should 
protect  those  in  his  country-side." 

"  Nay,"  said  the  widow.  c:  I  am  only  too  glad  if 
Thorbiorn  lets  me  alone.  I  will  not  meddle  with  him." 

Then  said  Olaf :  "  Father,  I  will  go  and  try  my 
strength  with  this  ghost,  for  I  am  young  and  stronger 
than  most,  and  I  deem  such  a  matter  good  sport." 

Accordingly  Olaf  went  back  with  the  widow,  and 
slept  in  the  hall  that  night,  with  a  skin  rug  over  him. 
At  nightfall  the  dead  wizard  came  in,  ghastly,  evil- 
looking,  and  terrible,  and  tore  the  skin  from  over  Olaf ; 
but  the  youth  sprang  up  and  wrestled  with  the  evil 
creature,  who  seemed  to  have  more  than  mortal  strength. 
They  fought  grimly  till  the  lights  died  out,  and  the 
struggle  raged  in  the  darkness  up  and  down  the  hall, 
and  finally  out  of  doors.  In  the  yard  round  the  house 
the  dead  wizard  fell,  and  Olaf  knelt  upon  him  and 
broke  his  back,  and  thought  him  safe  from  doing  any 
mischief  again.  When  Olaf  returned  to  the  hall  men 
had  rekindled  the  lights,  and  all  made  much  of  him,  and 
tended  his  bruises  and  wounds,  and  counted  him  a  hero 
indeed.  His  fame  spread  through  the  whole  district, 
and  he  was  greatly  beloved  by  all  men  ;  but  Thorbiorn 
hated  him  more  than  ever. 

Soon  another  quarrel  arose,  when  a  stranded  whale, 
which  came  ashore  on  Howard's  land,  was  adjudged  to 
Thorbiorn.  The  lawman,  Thorkel,  was  summoned  to 
decide  to  whom  the  whale  belonged,  and  came  to  view 
it.  "  It  is  manifestly  theirs,"  said  he  falteringly,  for  he 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

dreaded  Thorbiorn's  wrath.  "  Whose  saidst  thou  ?  " 
cried  Thorbiorn,  coming  to  him  menacingly,  with  drawn 
sword.  "  Thine,"  said  Thorkel,  with  downcast  eyes  ; 
and  Thorbiorn  triumphantly  claimed  and  took  the  whale, 
though  the  injustice  of  the  decree  was  evident.  Yet 
Olaf  felt  no  ill-will  to  Thorbiorn,  for  Sigrid's  sake,  but 
contrived  to  render  him  another  service. 

Olaf's  Second  Fight  with  the  Ghost 

Brand  the  Strong,  Thorbiorn's  shepherd,  could  not 
drive  his  sheep  one  day.  Olaf  met  him  trying  to  get 
his  frightened  wethers  home  :  it  seemed  an  impossible 
task,  because  an  uncanny  human  form,  with  waving 
arms,  stood  in  a  narrow  bend  of  the  path  and  drove 
them  back  and  scattered  them.  Brand  told  Olaf  all  the 
tale,  and  when  the  two  went  to  look,  Olaf  saw  that  the 
enemy  was  the  ghost  of  the  dead  wizard  whom  he  had 
fought  before.  "Which  wilt  thou  do,"  said  Olaf, 
"  fight  the  wizard  or  gather  thy  sheep  ? " 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  fight  the  ghost ;  I  will  find  my 
scattered  sheep,"  said  Brand  ;  "  that  is  the  easier  task." 

Then  Olaf  ran  at  the  ghost,  who  awaited  him  at  the 
top  of  a  high  bank,  and  he  and  the  wizard  wrestled 
again  with  each  other  till  they  fell  from  the  bank  into 
a  snowdrift,  and  so  down  to  the  seashore.  There 
Olaf,  whose  strength  had  been  tried  to  the  utmost, 
had  the  upper  hand,  and  again  broke  the  back  of  the 
dead  wizard  ;  but,  seeing  that  that  had  been  of  no 
avail  before,  he  took  the  body,  swam  out  to  sea  with  it, 
and  sank  it  deep  in  the  firth.  Ever  after  men  believed 
that  this  part  of  the  coast  was  dangerous  to  ships. 

Brand  thanked  the  youth  much  for  his  help,  and 
when  he  reached  Bathstead  related  what  Olaf  had  done 
for  him.  Thorbiorn  said  nothing,  but  Vakr  sneered, 
and  called  Brand  a  coward  for  asking  help  of  Olaf. 


OLAF  MEETS  THORBIORN 

The  strife  grew  keen  between  them,  almost  to  blows, 
and  was  only  settled  by  Thorbiorn,  who  forbade  Brand 
to  praise  Olaf  or  to  accept  help  from  him.  His  ill-will 
grew  so  evident  to  all  men  that  Howard  the  Halt 
decided,  in  spite  of  Olaf's  reluctance,  to  remove  to  a 
homestead  on  the  other  side  of  the  firth,  away  from 
Thorbiorn's  neighbourhood. 

Olaf  Meets  Thorbiorn 

That  summer  Thorbiorn  decided  to  marry.  He 
wooed  a  maiden  who  was  sister  of  the  wise  Guest,  who 
dwelt  at  the  Mead,  and  Guest  agreed  to  the  match, 
on  condition  that  Thorbiorn  should  renounce  his 
injustice  and  evil  ways  ;  to  this  Thorbiorn  assented, 
and  the  wedding  was  held  shortly  after.  Thorbiorn 
had  said  nothing  to  his  household  of  his  proposed 
marriage,  and  Sigrid  first  heard  of  it  when  the  wedding 
was  over,  and  the  bridal  party  would  soon  be  riding 
home  to  Bathstead.  Sigrid  was  very  wroth  that  she 
must  give  up  her  control  of  the  household  to  another, 
and  refused  to  stay  to  serve  under  Thorbiorn's  wife  ; 
accordingly  she  withdrew  from  Bathstead  to  a  kins- 
man's house,  taking  all  her  goods  with  her.  Thorbiorn 
raged  furiously  on  his  return,  when  he  found  that  she 
was  gone,  for  her  wealth  made  a  great  difference  to 
his  comfort,  and  threatened  dire  punishment  to  all  who 
had  helped  her.  Olaf  continued  his  wooing  of  Sigrid, 
and  went  to  see  her  often  in  her  kinsman's  abode,  and 
they  loved  each  other  greatly. 

One  day  when  Olaf  had  been  seeking  some  lost  sheep 
he  made  his  way  to  Sigrid's  house,  to  talk  with  her  as 
usual.  As  they  stood  near  the  house  together  and 
talked  Sigrid  looked  suddenly  anxious  and  said  : 

"  I  see  Thorbiorn  and  Vakr  coming  in  a  boat  over 
the  firth  with  weapons  beside  them,  and  I  see  the  gleam 

103 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

of  Thorbiorn's  great  sword  Warfiame.  I  fear  they  have 
done,  or  will  do,  some  evil  deed,  and  therefore  I  pray 
thee,  Olaf,  not  to  stay  and  meet  them.  He  has  hated 
thee  for  a  long  time,  and  the  help  thou  didst  give  me 
to  leave  Bathstead  did  not  mend  matters.  Go  thy  way 
now,  and  do  not  fall  in  with  them." 

"  I  am  not  afraid,"  said  Olaf.  "  I  have  done  Thor- 
biorn  no  wrong,  and  I  will  not  flee  before  him.  He  is 
only  one  man,  as  I  am." 

"  Alas  1  "  Sigrid  replied,  "  how  canst  thou,  a  stripling 
of  eighteen,  hope  to  stand  before  a  grown  man,  a  mighty 
champion,  armed  with  a  magic  sword  ?  Thy  words  and 
thoughts  are  brave,  as  thou  thyself  art,  but  the  odds  are 
too  great  for  thee  :  they  are  two  to  one,  since  Vakr, 
ever  spiteful  and  malicious,  will  not  stand  idle  while 
thou  art  in  combat  with  Thorbiorn." 

"  Well,"  said  Olaf,  "  I  will  not  avoid  them,  but  I 
will  not  seek  a  contest.  If  it  must  be  so,  I  will  fight 
bravely  ;  thou  shalt  hear  of  my  deeds." 

"  No,  that  will  never  be  ;  I  will  not  live  after  thee 
to  ask  of  them,"  said  Sigrid. 

"  Farewell  now  ;  live  long  and  happily  !  "  said  Olaf ; 
and  so  they  bade  each  other  farewell,  and  Olaf  left  her 
there,  and  went  down  to  the  shore  where  his  sheep  lay. 
Thorbiorn  and  Vakr  had  just  landed,  and  they  greeted 
each  other,  and  Olaf  asked  them  their  errand.  "  We 
go  to  my  mother,"  said  Vakr. 

"Let  us  go  together,"  replied  Olaf,  "for  my  way  is 
the  same  in  part.  But  I  am  sorry  that  I  must  needs 
drive  my  sheep  home,  for  Icefirth  sheep-drovers  will 
become  proud  if  a  great  man  like  thee  should  join  the 
trade,  Thorbiorn." 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  mind  that,"  said  Thorbiorn  ;  so  they 
all  went  on  together  ;  and  as  he  went  Olaf  caught  up  a 
crooked  cudgel  with  which  to  herd  his  sheep  ;  he  noticed, 
104 


OLAFS  DEATH 

too,  that  Thorbiorn  and  Vakr  kept  trying  to  lag  behind 
him,  and  he  took  care  that  they  all  walked  abreast. 

The  Combat 

When  the  three  came  near  the  house  of  Thordis, 
Vakr's  mother,  where  the  ways  divided,  Thorbiorn 
said  :  "  Now,  nephew  Vakr,  we  need  no  longer  delay 
what  we  would  do."  And  then  Olaf  knew  that  he  had 
fallen  into  their  snare.  He  ran  up  a  bank  beside  the 
road,  and  the  two  set  on  him  from  below,  and  he 
defended  himself  at  first  manfully  with  the  crooked 
cudgel ;  but  Thorbiorn's  sword  Warflame  sliced  this 
like  a  stalk  of  flax,  and  Olaf  had  to  betake  himself  to 
his  axe,  and  the  fight  went  on  for  long. 

A  New  Enemy  Comes 

The  noise  of  the  fray  reached  the  ears  of  Thordis, 
Vakr's  mother,  in  her  house,  so  that  she  sent  a  boy  to 
learn  the  cause,  and  when  he  told  her  that  Olaf  Howard- 
son  was  fighting  against  Thorbiorn  and  Vakr  she  bade 
her  second  son  go  to  the  help  of  his  kinsfolk. 

"  I  will  not  go,"  said  he.  "  I  would  rather  fight  for 
Olaf  than  for  them.  It  is  a  shame  for  two  to  set  on 
one  man,  and  they  such  great  champions  too.  I  will 
not  be  the  third  ;  I  will  not  go." 

"  Now  I  know  that  thou  art  a  coward,"  sneered  his 
mother.  "  Daughter,  not  son,  thou  art,  too  timid  to 
help  thy  kinsfolk.  I  will  show  thee  that  I  am  a  braver 
daughter  than  thou  a  son  1 " 

Olaf's  Death 

By  these  words  Thordis  so  enraged  her  son  that  he 
seized  his  axe  and  rushed  from  the  house  down  the  hill 
towards  Olaf,  who  could  not  see  the  new-comer,  because 
he  stood  with  his  back  to  the  house.  Coming  close  to 

105 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
Olaf,  the  new  assailant  drove  the  axe  in  deep  between 
his  shoulders,  and  when  Olaf  felt  the  blow  he  turned, 
and  with  a  mighty  stroke  slew  his  last  enemy.  There- 
upon Thorbiorn  thrust  Olaf  through  with  the  sword 
Warflame,  and  he  died.  Then  Thorbiorn  took  Olaf's 
teeth,  which  he  smote  from  his  jaw,  wrapped  them  in  a 
cloth,  and  carried  them  home. 

The  news  of  the  slaughter  was  at  once  told  by  Thor- 
biorn (for  so  long  as  homicide  was  not  concealed  it  was 
not  considered  murder),  and  told  fairly,  so  that  all  men 
praised  Olaf  for  his  brave  defence,  and  lamented  his 
death.  But  when  men  sought  for  the  fair  Sigrid  she 
could  not  be  found,  and  was  seen  no  more  from  that 
day.  She  had  loved  Olaf  greatly,  had  seen  him  fall,  and 
could  not  live  when  he  was  dead  ;  but  no  man  knew 
where  she  died  or  was  buried. 

The  terrible  news  of  Olaf's  death  came  to  Howard, 
and  he  sighed  heavily  and  took  to  his  bed  for  grief, 
and  remained  bedridden  for  twelve  months,  leaving  his 
wife  Biargey  to  manage  the  daily  fishing  and  the  farm. 
Men  thought  that  Olaf  would  be  for  ever  unavenged, 
because  Howard  was  too  feeble,  and  his  adversary  too 
mighty  and  too  unjust. 

Howard  Claims  Wergild  for  Olaf 

When  a  year  had  passed  away  Biargey  came  to 
Howard  where  he  lay  in  his  bed,  and  bade  him  arise 
and  go  to  Bathstead.  Said  she  : 

"  I  would  have  thee  claim  wergild  for  our  son,  since 
a  man  that  can  no  longer  fight  may  well  prove  his  valour 
by  word  of  mouth,  and  if  Thorbiorn  should  show  any 
sign  of  justice  thou  shalt  not  claim  too  much." 

Howard  replied  :   "  I  know  it  is  a  bootless  errand  to 
ask  j  ustice  from  Thorbiorn,  but  I  will  do  thy  will  in  this 
matter." 
106 


Howard  leaves  the  house  of  Thorbiorn 


HOWARD  AT  THE  THING 

So  Howard  went  heavily,  walking  as  an  old  man,  to 
Bathstead,  and,  after  the  usual  greetings,  said  : 

"  I  have  come  to  thee,  Thorbiorn,  on  a  great  matter 
— to  claim  wergild  for  my  dead  son  Olaf,  whom  thou 
didst  slay  guiltless." 

Thorbiorn  answered  :  "  I  have  never  yet  paid  a 
wergild,  though  I  have  slain  many  men — some  say 
innocent  men.  But  I  am  sorry  for  thee,  since  thou  hast 
lost  a  brave  son,  and  I  will  at  least  give  thee  something. 
There  is  an  old  horse  named  Dodderer  out  in  the 
pastures,  grey  with  age,  sore-backed,  too  old  to  work  ; 
but  thou  canst  take  him  home,  and  perhaps  he  will  be 
some  good,  when  thou  hast  fed  him  up." 

Now  Howard  was  angered  beyond  speech.  He 
reddened  and  turned  straight  to  the  door  ;  and  as  he 
went  down  the  hall  Vakr  shouted  and  jeered  ;  but 
Howard  said  no  word,  good  or  bad.  He  returned 
home,  and  took  to  his  bed  for  another  year. 

Howard  at  the  Thing 

In  the  second  year  Biargey  again  urged  Howard  to 
try  for  a  wergild.  She  suggested  that  he  should  follow 
Thorbiorn  to  the  Thing  and  try  to  obtain  justice,  for 
men  loathed  Thorbiorn's  evil  ways,  and  Howard  would 
be  sure  to  have  many  sympathizers.  Howard  was  loath 
to  go.  "  Thorbiorn,  my  son's  slayer,  has  mocked  me 
once  ;  shall  he  mock  me  again  where  all  the  chieftains 
are  assembled  ?  I  will  not  go  to  endure  such  shame  ! " 

To  his  surprise,  Biargey  urged  her  will,  saying : 
"  Thou  wilt  have  friends,  I  know,  since  Guest  will  be 
there,  and  he  is  a  just  man,  and  will  strive  to  bring 
about  peace  between  thee  and  Thorbiorn.  And  hearken 
to  me,  and  heed  my  words,  husband  1  If  Thorbiorn  is 
condemned  to  pay  thee  money,  and  there  is  a  large 
ring  of  assessors,  it  may  be  that  when  thou  and  he  are 

107 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

in  the  ring  together  he  will  do  something  to  grieve 
thee  sorely.  Then  look  thou  well  to  it !  If  thy  heart 
be  light,  make  thou  no  peace  ;  I  am  somewhat  fore- 
sighted,  and  I  know  that  then  Olaf  shall  be  avenged. 
But  if  thou  be  heavy-hearted,  then  do  thou  be  recon- 
ciled to  Thorbiorn,  for  I  know  that  Olaf  shall  lie 
unatoned  for." 

Howard  replied :  "  Wife,  I  understand  thee  not, 
nor  thy  words,  but  this  I  know  :  I  would  do  and  bear 
all  things  if  I  might  but  obtain  due  vengeance  for  Olaf  s 
death." 

At  last  Howard,  impressed  by  his  wife's  half-pro- 
phetic words,  roused  himself,  and  rode  away  to  the 
Thing ;  here  he  found  shelter  with  a  great  chieftain, 
Steinthor  of  Ere,  who  was  kind  to  the  old  man,  and 
gave  Howard  a  place  in  his  booth.  Steinthor  praised 
Olaf's  courage  and  manful  defence,  and  bade  his 
followers  cherish  the  old  man,  and  not  arouse  his  grief 
for  his  dead  son. 

Howard  and  Thorbiorn 

As  the  days  wore  on  Howard  did  nothing  towards 
obtaining  compensation  for  his  great  loss,  until  Steinthor 
asked  him  why  he  took  no  action  in  the  matter.  Howard 
replied  that  he  felt  helpless  against  Thorbiorn's  evil 
words  and  deeds  ;  but  Steinthor  bade  him  try  to  win 
Guest  to  his  side — then  he  would  succeed.  Howard 
took  heart,  and  set  off  for  the  booth  which  Thorbiorn 
shared  with  Guest ;  but  unhappily  Guest  was  not  there 
when  Howard  came.  Thorbiorn  greeted  him  and  asked 
what  matter  had  brought  him,  and  Howard  replied  : 

"  My  g^f  f°r  Olaf  is  yet  deep  in  my  heart ;  still  I 
remember  his  death  ;  and  now  again  I  come  to  claim  a 
wergild  for  him." 

Thorbiorn  answered  :  "  Come  to  me  at  home  in  my 
1 08 


GUEST  AND  HOWARD 

own  country,  and  I  may  do  somewhat  for  thee,  but  1 
will  not  have  thee  whining  against  me  here." 

Howard  said  :  "  If  thou  wilt  do  nothing  here,  I  have 
proved  that  thou  wilt  do  still  less  in  thine  own  country  ; 
but  I  had  hoped  for  help  from  other  chieftains." 

Thorbiorn  burst  out  wrathfully  :  "  See  !  He  will 
stir  up  other  men  against  me  !  Get  thee  gone,  old  man, 
or  thou  shalt  not  escape  a  beating." 

Now  Howard  was  greatly  angered,  and  said:  "  Yes,  old 
I  am — too  old  and  feeble  to  win  respect ;  but  the  days 
have  been  when  I  would  not  have  endured  such  wrong  ; 
yea,  and  if  Olaf  were  still  alive  thou  wouldst  not  have 
flouted  me  thus."  As  he  left  Thorbiorn's  sight  his 
grief  and  anger  were  so  great  that  he  did  not  notice 
Guest  returning,  but  went  heavily  to  Steinthor's  booth, 
where  he  told  all  Thorbiorn's  injustice,  and  won  much 
sympathy. 

Guest  and  Howard 

When  Guest  had  entered  the  booth  he  sat  down 
beside  Thorbiorn  and  said  : 

"  Who  was  the  man  whom  I  met  leaving  the  booth 
just  now  ?" 

"  A  wise  question  for  a  wise  man  to  ask  !  How  can 
I  tell  ?  So  many  come  and  go,"  said  Thorbiorn. 

"  But  this  was  an  old  man,  large  of  stature,  lame  in 
one  knee  ;  yet  he  looked  a  brave  warrior,  and  he  was  so 
wrathful  that  he  did  not  know  where  he  went.  He 
seemed  a  man  likely  to  be  lucky,  too,  and  not  one  to  be 
lightly  wronged." 

"  That  must  have  been  old  Howard  the  Halt,"  said 
Thorbiorn.  "  He  is  a  man  from  my  district,  who  has 
come  after  me  to  the  Thing." 

"~Ah  1  Was  it  his  brave  son  Olaf  whom  thou  didst 
slay  guiltless  ? " 

109 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"  Yes,  certainly,"  returned  Thorbiorn. 

"  How  hast  thou  kept  the  promise  of  better  ways 
which  thou  didst  make  when  thou  didst  marry  my 
sister  ?  "  he  asked  ;  and  Thorbiorn  sat  silent.  "  This 
wrong  must  be  amended,"  said  Guest,  and  sent  an 
honourable  man  to  bring  Howard  to  him.  Howard 
at  first  refused  to  face  Thorbiorn  again,  but  at  last 
reluctantly  consented  to  meet  Guest,  and  when  the 
latter  had  greeted  him  in  friendly  and  honourable 
fashion  he  told  the  whole  story,  from  the  time  of 
Thorbiorn's  first  jealousy  of  Olaf. 

Guest  was  horrified.  "Heard  ever  man  such  in- 
justice ! "  he  cried.  "  Now,  Thorbiorn,  choose  one 
of  two  things  :  either  my  sister  shall  no  longer  be  thy 
wife,  or  thou  shalt  allow  me  to  give  judgment  between 
Howard  and  thee." 

Guest's  Judgment  and  the  Payment  of  the  Wergild 

Thorbiorn  agreed  to  leave  the  matter  in  Guest's 
hands,  and  many  men  were  called  to  make  a  ring  as 
assessors,  that  all  might  be  legally  done,  and  Thorbiorn 
and  Howard  stood  together  in  the  ring.  Then  Guest 
gave  judgment  :  "Thorbiorn,  I  cannot  condemn  thee 
to  pay  Howard  all  thou  owest — with  all  thy  wealth, 
thou  hast  not  money  enough  for  that ;  but  for  slaying 
Olaf  thou  shalt  pay  a  threefold  wergild.  For  the  other 
wrongs  thou  hast  done  him,  I,  thy  brother-in-law,  will 
try  to  atone  by  gifts,  and  friendship,  and  all  honour  in 
my  power,  as  long  as  we  both  live  ;  and  if  he  will  come 
home  to  stay  with  me  he  shall  be  right  welcome." 

Thorbiorn  agreed  to  the  award,  saying  carelessly : 
"  I  will  pay  him  at  home  in  my  own  country,  if  he 
will  come  to  me  when  I  have  more  leisure." 

"  No,"  said  Guest,  who  distrusted  Thorbiorn,  "  thou 
shalt  pay  here,  and  now,  fully  ;  and  I  myself  will  pay 
no 


The  silver  rolled  in  all  directions  from  his  cloak"  no 


BIARGEY  AND  HER  BRETHREN 

one  wergild,  to  help  thee  in  atonement."  When  this 
was  agreed  Howard  sat  down  in  the  ring,  and  Guest 
gave  him  the  one  wergild  (a  hundred  of  silver),  which 
Howard  received  in  the  skirt  of  his  cloak  ;  and  then 
Thorbiorn  paid  one  wergild  slowly,  coin  by  coin,  and  said 
he  had  no  more  money  ;  but  Guest  bade  him  pay  it  all. 

Then  Thorbiorn  drew  out  a  cloth  and  untied  it, 
saying,  "  He  will  surely  count  himself  paid  in  full  if 
I  give  him  this  ! "  and  he  flung  into  the  old  man's  face, 
as  he  sat  on  the  ground,  the  teeth  of  the  dead  Olaf, 
saying,  "  Here  are  thy  son's  teeth  !  " 

Howard  sprang  up,  bleeding,  mad  with  rage  and 
grief.  The  silver  rolled  in  all  directions  from  his  cloak 
as  he  came  to  his  feet,  but  he  heeded  it  not  at  all. 
Blinded  with  blood,  and  furious,  he  broke  through  the 
ring  of  assessors,  dashed  one  of  them  to  earth,  and 
rushed  away  like  a  young  man  ;  but  when  he  came  to 
Steinthor's  booth  he  lay  as  if  dead,  and  spoke  to  no 
man. 

Guest  would  have  no  more  to  do  with  Thorbiorn. 
"  Thou  hast  no  equal  for  cruelty  and  evil  ;  thou 
shalt  surely  repent  it,"  he  said ;  and  he  rode  to 
Bathstead,  took  his  sister  away,  with  all  her  wealth,  and 
broke  off  his  alliance  with  Thorbiorn,  caring  nothing 
for  the  shame  he  put  upon  so  unjust  a  man. 

Howard  went  home,  told  Biargey  all  that  had 
happened,  and  took  to  his  bed  again,  a  poor,  old, 
helpless,  miserable  man  ;  but  his  wife,  who  saw  her 
presage  beginning  to  come  true,  kept  up  her  courage, 
rowed  out  fishing  every  day,  and  guided  the  household 
for  yet  another  year. 

Biargey  and  her  Brethren 

That  summer,  one  day,  as  Biargey  was  rowed  out  to 
the  fishing  as  usual,  she  saw  Thorbiorn's  boat  coming 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

up  the  firth,  and  bade  her  man  take  up  the  lines  and 
go  to  meet  him,  and  row  round  the  cutter,  while  she 
talked  with  Thorbiorn.  As  Biargey's  little  boat 
approached  the  cutter  Thorbiorn  stopped  his  vessel, 
for  he  saw  that  she  would  speak  with  him,  and  her 
boat  circled  round  the  cutter  while  she  asked  his 
business,  and  learnt  that  he  was  going  with  Vakr  to 
meet  a  brother  and  nephew  of  his,  to  bring  them  to 
Bathstead,  and  that  he  expected  to  be  away  from  home 
for  a  week.  The  little  skiff  had  now  passed  completely 
round  the  motionless  cutter,  and  Olaf  s  mother,  having 
learnt  all  she  wanted,  bade  her  rower  quit  Thorbiorn  ; 
the  little  boat  shot  swiftly  and  suddenly  away,  leaving 
Thorbiorn  with  an  uneasy  sense  of  witchcraft.  So 
disquieted  did  he  feel  that  he  would  have  pursued  her 
and  drowned  "  the  old  hag,"  as  he  called  her,  had  he 
not  been  prevented  by  Brand  the  Strong,  who  had 
been  helped  in  his  need  by  Olaf. 

As  the  little  craft  shot  away  Biargey  smiled  mysteri- 
ously, and  said  to  her  rower  :  "  Now  I  feel  sure  that 
Olaf  my  son  will  be  avenged.  I  have  work  to  do  :  let 
us  not  go  home  yet." 

"Where,  then,  shall  we  go  ? "  asked  the  man. 

"To  my  brother  Valbrand." 

Valbrand 

Now  Valbrand  was  an  old  man  who  had  been  a 
mighty  warrior  in  his  youth,  but  had  now  settled  down 
to  a  life  of  quiet  and  peace  ;  he  had,  however,  two 
promising  sons,  well-grown  and  manly  youths.  When 
Valbrand  saw  his  sister  he  came  to  meet  her,  saying  : 

"  Welcome,  sister  1  Seldom  it  is  that  we  see  thee. 
Wilt  thou  abide  with  us  this  night,  or  is  thine  errand 
one  that  craves  haste  ?  " 

"  I  must  be  home  to-night,"  she  replied,  and  added 
in 


THE  AROUSING  OF  HOWARD 

mysteriously  :  "  But  there  is  help  1  would  fain  ask  of 
thee.  Wilt  thou  lend  me  thy  seal-nets  ?  We  have  not 
enough  to  catch  such  fish  as  we  need." 

Valbrand  answered :  "  Willingly,  and  thou  shalt  choose 
for  thyself.  Here  are  three,  one  old  and  worn  out,  two 
new  and  untried  ;  which  wilt  thou  take  ?  " 

"  I  will  have  the  new  ones,  but  I  do  not  need  them 
yet  ;  keep  them  ready  for  the  day  when  I  shall  send 
and  ask  for  them,"  Biargey  replied,  and  bade  Valbrand 
farewell,  and  rowed  away  to  her  next  brother. 

Thorbrand  and  Asbrand 

When  Howard's  wife  came  to  her  brother  Thor- 
brand  she  was  well  received  by  him  and  his  two  sons, 
and  here  she  asked  for  the  loan  of  a  trout-net,  since  she 
had  not  enough  to  catch  the  fish.  Thorbrand  offered 
her  her  choice — one  old  and  worn  out,  or  two  new 
and  untried  nets  ;  and  again  Biargey  chose  the  new 
ones,  and  bade  them  be  ready  when  the  messenger 
came. 

From  her  third  brother,  Asbrand,  who  had  only  one 
son,  Biargey  asked  a  turf-cutter,  as  hers  was  not  keen 
enough  to  cut  all  she  wanted  ;  again  she  was  offered 
her  choice,  and  chose  the  new,  untried  cutter,  instead  of 
the  old,  rusty,  notched  one.  Then  Biargey  bade  fare- 
well to  Asbrand,  refusing  his  offer  of  hospitality,  and 
went  home  to  Howard,  and  told  him  of  her  quests  and 
the  promises  she  had  received.  The  old  couple  knew 
what  the  promises  meant,  but  they  said  nothing  to  each 
other  about  it 

The  Arousing  of  Howard 

When  seven  days  had  passed  Biargey  came  to 
Howard,  saying  :  "  Arise  now,  and  play  the  man,  if  thou 
wilt  ever  win  vengeance  for  Olaf.  Thou  must  do  it 

"3 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
now  or  never,  since  now  the  opportunity  has  come. 
Knowest  thou  not  that  to-day  Thorbiorn  returns  to 
Bathstead,  and  thou  must  meet  him  to-day  ?  And 
have  I  not  found  helpers  for  thee  in  my  nephews  ? 
Thou  wilt  not  need  to  face  the  strife  alone." 

Hereupon  Howard  sprang  up  joyfully  from  his  bed, 
and  was  no  longer  lame  or  halt,  nor  looked  like  an  old 
man,  but  moved  briskly,  clad  himself  in  good  armour, 
and  seemed  a  mighty  warrior.  His  joy  broke  forth  in 
words,  and  he  chanted  songs  of  gladness  in  vengeance, 
and  joy  in  strife,  and  evil  omen  to  the  death-doomed 
foe.  Thus  gladly,  with  spear  in  hand,  he  went  forth  to 
find  his  enemy  and  avenge  his  son  ;  but  he  turned  and 
kissed  his  brave  wife  farewell,  for  he  said  :  "  It  may 
well  be  that  we  shall  not  meet  again."  Biargey  said  : 
**  Nay,  we  shall  meet  again,  for  I  know  that  thou 
bearest  a  bold  heart  and  a  strong  arm,  and  wilt  do 
valiantly." 

Howard  Gathers  his  Friends 

Howard  and  one  fighting-man  took  their  boat  and 
rowed  to  Valbrand's  house,  and  saw  him  and  his  sons 
making  hay.  Valbrand  greeted  Howard  well,  for  he 
had  not  seen  him  for  long,  and  begged  him  to  stay 
there,  but  Howard  would  not.  "  I  am  in  haste,  and 
have  come  to  fetch  the  two  new  seal-nets  thou  didst 
lend  to  my  wife,"  he  said  ;  and  Valbrand  understood  him 
well.  He  called  to  his  sons,  "  Come  hither,  lads  ;  here 
is  your  kinsman  Howard,  with  mighty  work  on  hand," 
and  the  two  youths  ran  up  hastily,  leaving  their  hay- 
making. Valbrand  went  to  the  house,  and  returned 
bearing  good  weapons,  which  he  gave  to  his  sons, 
bidding  them  follow  their  kinsman  Howard  and  help 
in  his  vengeance. 

They    three   went  down    to   the   boat,   took    their 


THORBIORJVTS  RETURN 

seats  beside  Howard's  man,  and  rowed  to  Asbrand's 
house.  There  Howard  asked  for  the  promised  new 
turf-cutter,  and  Asbrand's  son,  a  tall  and  manly  youth, 
joined  the  party.  At  their  next  visit,  to  Thorbrand's 
house,  Howard  asked  for  the  two  trout-nets,  and 
Thorbrand's  two  sons,  with  one  stout  fighting-man, 
came  gladly  with  their  kinsman. 

Howard's  Plan 

As  they  rowed  away  together  one  of  the  youths 
asked  :  "  Why  is  it  that  thou  hast  no  sword  or  axe,  Uncle 
Howard  ?  "  Howard  replied  :  "  It  may  be  that  we  shall 
meet  Thorbiorn,  and  when  the  meeting  is  over  I  shall 
not  be  a  swordless  man,  but  it  is  likely  that  I  shall  have 
Warflame,  that  mighty  weapon,  the  best  of  swords  ;  and 
here  I  have  a  good  spear." 

These  words  seemed  to  them  all  a  good  omen,  and  as 
they  rowed  towards  Bathstead  they  saw  a  flock  of  ravens, 
which  encouraged  them  yet  more,  since  the  raven  was  the 
bird  of  Odin,  the  haunter  of  fields  of  strife  and  bloodshed. 

When  they  reached  Bathstead  they  sprang  on  the 
jetty,  carried  their  boat  over  the  ridge  of  shingle  to  the 
quiet  pool  by  the  boathouse,  and  hid  themselves  where 
they  could  see,  but  remain  themselves  unseen.  Howard 
took  command,  and  appointed  their  places,  bidding  them 
be  wary,  and  not  stir  till  he  gave  the  word. 

Thorbiorn's  Return 

Late  that  evening,  just  before  dusk,  Thorbiorn  and 
Vakr  came  home,  bringing  their  kinsmen  with  them,  a 
party  of  ten  in  all.  They  had  no  suspicion  of  any 
ambush,  and  Thorbiorn  said  to  Vakr  :  "  It  is  a  fine  night, 
and  dry,  Vakr  ;  we  will  leave  the  boat  here — she  will 
take  ho  hurt  through  the  night — and  thou  shalt  carry 
our  swords  and  spears  up  to  the  boathouse." 

*  1.5 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Vakr  obeyed,  and  bore  all  the  weapons  to  the  boat- 
house.  Howard's  men  would  have  slain  him  then,  but 
Howard  forbade,  and  let  him  return  to  the  jetty  for 
more  armour.  When  Vakr  had  gone  back  Howard 
sent  to  the  boathouse  for  the  magic  sword,  Warflame  ; 
drawing  it,  he  gripped  it  hard  and  brandished  it,  for  he 
would  fain  avenge  Olaf  with  the  weapon  which  had 
slain  him.  When  Vakr  came  towards  the  ambush  a 
second  time  he  was  kden  with  shields  and  helmets. 
Howard's  men  sprang  up  to  take  him,  and  he  turned  to 
flee  as  he  saw  and  heard  them.  But  his  foot  slipped,  and 
he  fell  into  the  pool,  and  lay  there  weighed  down  by  all 
the  armour,  till  he  died  miserably — a  fitting  end  for  one 
so  ignoble  and  crueL 

Tfcorbiorn's  Death 

Howard's  men  shouted  and  waved  their  weapons, 
and  ran  down  to  the  beach  to  attack  their  enemies  ; 
but  Thorbiorn,  seeing  them,  flung  himself  into  the 
sea,  swimming  towards  a  small  rocky  islet.  When 
Howard  saw  this  he  took  Warflame  between  his  teeth, 
and,  old  as  he  was,  plunged  into  the  waves  and  pursued 
Thorbiorn.  The  latter  had,  however,  a  considerable 
start,  and  was  both  younger  and  stronger  than  his 
adversary,  so  that  he  was  already  on  the  rock  and 
prepared  to  dash  a  huge  stone  at  Howard,  when  the  old 
man  reached  the  islet.  Now  there  seemed  no  hope  for 
Howard,  but  still  he  clung  fiercely  to  the  rock  and 
strove  to  draw  himself  up  on  the  land.  Thorbiorn 
lifted  the  huge  stone  to  cast  at  his  foe,  but  his  foot 
slipped  on  the  wet  rocks,  and  he  fell  backward  ;  before 
he  could  recover  his  footing  Howard  rushed  forward 
and  slew  him  with  his  own  sword  Warflame,  striking 
out  his  teeth,  as  Thorbiorn  had  done  to  Olaf. 

When  Howard  swam  back  to  Bathstead,  and  they 
116 


Thorbiorn  lifted  the  huge  stone  " 


116 


THE  THING  AND  GUESTS  AWARD 

told  him  that  in  all  six  of  Thorbiorn's  men  were  dead, 
while  he  had  only  lost  one  serving-man,  he  rejoiced 
greatly ;  but  his  vengeance  was  not  satisfied  until  he 
had  slain  yet  another  brother  of  Thorbiorn's. 

Steinthor  Shelters  Howard 

Then,  with  the  news  of  this  great  revenge  to  be  told, 
Howard  and  his  kinsmen  took  refuge  with  that  Steinthor 
who  had  given  him  help  and  shelter  during  the  Thing. 

"  Who  are  ye,  and  what  tidings  do  ye  bring  ? "  asked 
Steinthor  as  the  little  party  of  seven  entered  his  hall. 

"  I  am  Howard,  and  these  are  my  kinsmen,"  said 
Howard.  "  We  tell  the  slaying  of  Thorbiorn  and  his 
brothers,  his  nephews  and  his  house-carles,  eight  in  all." 

Steinthor  exclaimed  in  surprise :  "  Art  thou  that 
Howard,  old  and  bedridden,  who  didst  seem  like  to 
die  last  year  at  the  Thing,  and  hast  thou  done  these 
mighty  deeds  with  only  these  youths  to  aid  thee  ? 
This  is  a  great  marvel,  nearly  as  wondrous  as  thy 
restoration  to  youth  and  health.  Great  enmity  will  ye 
have  aroused  against  you  !  " 

Said  Howard :  "  Bethink  thee  that  thou  didst 
promise  me  thy  help  if  I  should  ever  need  it.  There- 
fore have  I  come  to  thee  now,  because  I  have  some 
little  need  of  aid." 

Steinthor  laughed.  "  A  little  help  !  When  dost  thou 
think  thou  wilt  need  much,  if  this  be  not  the  time  ? 
But  bide  ye  all  here  in  honour,  and  I  will  set  the  matter 
right,  since  thou  and  these  thy  helpers  have  done  so 
valiantly." 

The  Thing  and  Guest's  Award 

Howard  and  his  kinsmen  abode  long  with  their  host, 
until  the  Thing  met  again  ;  then  Steinthor  rode  away, 
leaving  the  uncle  and  nephews  under  good  safeguard. 

117 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

It  was  a  great  meeting,  'with  many  cases  to  judge. 
When  the  matter  of  the  death  of  Thorbiorn's  family 
was  brought  up  Steinthor  spoke  on  Howard's  behalf, 
and  offered  to  let  Guest  again  give  judgment,  since 
he  had  done  so  before.  This  offer  was  accepted  by 
Thorbiorn's  surviving  kinsfolk,  and  Guest,  as  before, 
gave  a  fair  award. 

Since  a  threefold  wergild  was  still  due  to  Howard 
for  the  slaying  of  Olaf,  three  of  the  eight  dead  need 
not  be  paid  for.  Thorbiorn,  Vakr,  and  that  brother 
of  his  slain  by  Olaf  should  continue  unatoned  for, 
because  they  were  evildoers,  and  fell  in  an  unrighteous 
quarrel  of  their  own  seeking  ;  moreover,  the  slaying 
of  Howard's  serving-man  cancelled  one  wergild  ;  there 
remained,  therefore,  but  one  wergild  for  Howard  to 
pay — one  hundred  of  silver — which  was  paid  out  of 
hand.  In  addition  to  this,  Howard  must  change  his 
dwelling,  and  his  nephews  must  travel  abroad  for  some 
years.  This  sentence  pleased  all  men  greatly,  and  they 
broke  up  the  Thing  in  great  content,  and  Howard  rode 
home  at  the  head  of  a  goodly  company  to  his  stout- 
hearted wife  Biargey,  who  had  kept  his  house  and  lands 
in  good  order  all  this  time.  They  made  a  great  feast, 
and  gave  rich  gifts  to  all  their  friends  and  kinsmen  ; 
then  when  the  farewells  were  over  the  exiles  went 
abroad  and  did  valiantly  in  Norway  ;  but  Howard  sold 
his  lands  and  moved  to  another  part  of  the  island. 
There  he  prospered  greatly  ;  and  when  he  died  his 
memory  was  handed  down  as  that  of  a  mighty  warrior 
and  a  valiant  and  prudent  man. 


til 


CHAPTER  VII :  ROLAND,  THE  HERO 
OF  EARLY  FRANCE 

The  Roland  Legends 

CHARLES  THE  GREAT,  King  of  the  Franks, 
world-famous  as  Charlemagne,  won  his  un- 
dying renown  by  innumerable  victories  for 
France  and  for  the  Church.  Charles  as  the  head  of  the 
Holy  Roman  Empire  and  the  Pope  as  the  head  of  the 
Holy  Catholic  Church  equally  dominated  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  mediaeval  world.  Yet  in  romance  Charle- 
magne's fame  has  been  eclipsed  by  that  of  his  illustrious 
nephew  and  vassal,  Roland,  whose  crowning  glory  has 
sprung  from  his  last  conflict  and  heroic  death  in  the 
valley  of  Roncesvalles. 

"  Oh  for  a  blast  of  that  dread  horn, 
On  Fontarabian  echoes  borne, 
That  to  King  Charles  did  come, 
When  Roland  brave,  and  Olivier, 
And  every  paladin  and  peer 
On  Roncesvalles  died." 

Scott. 

Briefly,  the  historical  facts  are  these  :  In  A.D.  778 
Charles  was  returning  from  an  expedition  into  Spain, 
where  the  dissensions  of  the  Moorish  rulers  had 
offered  him  the  chance  of  extending  his  borders  while 
he  fought  for  the  Christian  faith  against  the  infidel. 
He  had  taken  Pampeluna,  but  had  been  checked  before 
Saragossa,  and  had  not  ventured  beyond  the  Ebro  ; 
he  was  now  making  his  way  home  through  the 
Pyrenees.  When  the  main  army  had  safely  traversed 
the  passes,  the  rear  was  suddenly  attacked  by  an 
overwhelming  body  of  mountaineers,  Gascons  and 
Basques,  who,  resenting  the  violation  of  their  moun- 
tain sanctuaries,  and  longing  for  plunder,  drove  the 

no 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Prankish  rearguard  into  a  little  valley  (now  marked  by 
the  chapel  of  Ibagneta  and  still  called  Roncesvalles), 
and  there  slew  every  man. 

The  Historic  Basis 

The  whole  romantic  legend  of  Roland  has  sprung 
from  the  simple  words  in  a  contemporary  chronicle, 
"In  which  battle  was  slain  Roland,  prefect  of  the 
marches  of  Brittany."  l 

This  same  fight  of  Roncesvalles  was  the  theme  of 
an  archaic  poem,  the  "  Song  of  Altobiscar,"  written 
about  1835.  In  it  we  hear  the  exultation  of  the  Basques 
as  they  see  the  knights  of  France  fall  beneath  their 
onslaughts.  The  Basques  are  on  the  heights — they 
hear  the  trampling  of  a  mighty  host  which  throngs 
the  narrow  valley  below  :  its  numbers  are  as  count- 
less as  the  sands  of  the  sea,  its  movement  as  resist- 
less as  the  waves  which  roll  those  sands  on  the  shore. 
Awe  fills  the  bosoms  of  the  mountain  tribesmen,  but 
their  leader  is  undaunted.  "  Let  us  unite  our  strong 
arms  !  "  he  cries  aloud.  "Let  us  tear  our  rocks  from 
their  beds  and  hurl  them  upon  the  enemy  !  Let  us 
crush  and  slay  them  all !  "  So  said,  so  done  :  the 
rocks  roll  plunging  into  the  valley,  slaying  whole 
troops  in  their  descent.  "And  what  mangled  flesh, 
what  broken  bones,  what  seas  of  blood !  Soon  of 
that  gallant  band  not  one  is  left  alive  ;  night  covers 
all,  the  eagles  devour  the  flesh,  and  the  bones  whiten 
in  this  valley  to  all  eternity  ! " 

A  Spanish  Version 

So  runs  the  "  Song  of  Altobiscar."  But  Spain  too 
claims  part  of  the  honour  of  the  day  of  Roncesvalles. 

1  See  "  Myths  and  Legends  of  the  Middle  Ages,"  by  H.  Guerber. 
no 


Charlemagne 
Stella  Langdale 


ROLAND  IN  FRENCH  LITERATURE 
True,  Roland  was  in  reality  slain  by  Basques,  not  by 
Spaniards  ;  but  Spain,  eager  to  share  the  honour,  has 
glorified  a  national  hero,  Bernardo  del  Carpio,  who,  in 
the  Spanish  legend,  defeats  Roland  in  single  combat 
and  wins  the  day. 

The  Italian  Orlando 

Italy  has  laid  claim  to  Roland,  and  in  the  guise  of 
Orlando,  Orlando  Furioso,  Orlando  Innamorato,  has 
made  him  into  a  fantastic,  chivalrous  knight,  a  hero  of 
many  magical  adventures. 

Roland  in  French  Literature 

Noblest  of  all,  however,  is  the  development  of  the 
"  Roland  Saga "  in  French  literature ;  for,  even  setting 
aside  much  legendary  lore  and  accumulated  tradition, 
the  Roland  or  the  old  epic  is  a  perfect  hero  of  the 
early  days  of  feudalism,  when  chivalry  was  in  its  very 
beginnings,  before  the  cult  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary 
added  the  grace  of  courtesy  to  its  heroism.  Evidently 
Roland  had  grown  in  importance  before  the  "  Chanson 
de  Roland"  took  its  present  form,  for  we  find  the 
rearguard  skirmish  magnified  into  a  great  battle,  which 
manifestly  contains  recollections  of  later  Saracen  inva- 
sions and  Gascon  revolts.  As  befits  the  hero  of  an 
epic,  Roland  is  now  of  royal  blood,  the  nephew  of  the 
great  emperor,  who  has  himself  increased  in  age  and 
splendour  ;  this  heroic  Roland  can  obviously  only  be 
overcome  by  the  treachery  of  one  of  the  Franks  them- 
selves, so  there  appears  the  traitor  Ganelon  (a  Romance 
version  of  a  certain  Danilo  or  Nanilo),  who  is  among 
the  Twelve  Peers  what  Judas  was  among  the  Apostles; 
the  mighty  Saracens,  not  the  insignificant  Basques,  are 
now  the  victors  ;  and  the  vengeance  taken  by  Charle- 
magne on  the  Saracens  and  on  the  traitor  is  boldly 

1*1 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

added  to  history,  which  leaves  the  disaster  unavenged. 
Thus  the  bare  fact  was  embroidered  over  gradually  by 
the  historical  imagination,  aided  by  patriotism,  until 
a  really  national  hero  was  evolved  out  of  an  obscure 
Breton  count. 

The  "Chanson  de  Roland** 

The  "  Song  of  Roland,"  as  we  now  have  it,  seems  to 
be  a  late  version  of  an  Anglo-Norman  poem,  made  by 
a  certain  Turoldus  or  Thorold  ;  and  it  must  bear  a 
close  resemblance  to  that  chant  which  fired  the  soldiers 
of  William  the  Norman  at  Hastings,  when 

"Taillefer,  the  noble  singer, 
On  his  war-horse  swift  and  fiery, 
Rode  before  the  Norman  host ; 
Tossed  his  sword  in  air  and  caught  it, 
Chanted  loud  the  death  of  Roland, 
And  the  peers  who  perished  with  him 
At  the  pass  of  Roncevaur." 

Roman  de  Rou. 

The  "  Song  of  Roland  "  bears  an  intimate  relation  to 
the  development  of  European  thought,  and  the  hero 
is  doubly  worth  our  study  as  hero  and  as  type  of 
national  character.  Thus  runs  the  story  : 

The  Story 

The  Emperor  Charles  the  Great,  Carolus  Magnus, 
or  Charlemagne,  had  been  for  seven  years  in  Spain, 
and  had  conquered  it  from  sea  to  sea,  except  Saragossa, 
which,  among  its  lofty  mountains,  and  ruled  by  its 
brave  king  Marsile,  had  defied  his  power.  Marsile 
still  held  to  his  idols,  Mahomet,  Apollo,  and  Terma- 
gaunt,  dreading  in  his  heart  the  day  when  Charles 
would  force  him  to  become  a  Christian. 
in 


AN  EMBASSY  TO  CHARLEMAGNE 

The  Saracen  Council 

The  Saracen  king  gathered  a  council  around  him, 
as  he  reclined  on  a  seat  of  blue  marble  in  the  shade  of 
an  orchard,  and  asked  the  advice  of  his  wise  men. 

"'My  lords,'  quoth  he,  'you  know  our  grievous  state. 
The  mighty  Charles,  great  lord  of  France  the  fair, 
Has  spread  his  hosts  in  ruin  o'er  our  land. 
No  armies  have  I  to  resist  his  course, 
No  people  have  I  to  destroy  his  hosts. 
Advise  me  now,  what  counsel  shall  I  take 
To  save  my  race  and  realm  from  death  and  shame  ? '  " 

Blancandrin's  Advice 

A  wily  emir,  Blancandrin,  of  Val-Fonde,  was  the 
only  man  who  replied.  He  was  wise  in  counsel,  brave 
in  war,  a  loyal  vassal  to  his  lord. 

" '  Fear  not,  my  liege,'  he  answered  the  sad  king. 
'  Send  thou  to  Charles  the  proud,  the  arrogant, 
And  offer  fealty  and  service  true, 
With  gifts  of  lions,  bears,  and  swift-foot  hounds, 
Seven  hundred  camels,  falcons,  mules,  and  gold — 
As  much  as  fifty  chariots  can  convey — 
Yea,  gold  enough  to  pay  his  vassals  all. 
Say  thou  thyself  will  take  the  Christian  faith, 
And  follow  him  to  Aix  to  be  baptized. 
If  he  demands  thy  hostages,  then  I 
And  these  my  fellows  give  our  sons  to  thee, 
To  go  with  Charles  to  France,  as  pledge  of  truth. 
Thou  wilt  not  follow  him,  thou  wilt  not  yield 
To  be  baptized,  and  so  our  sons  must  die; 
But  better  death  than  life  in  foul  disgrace, 
With  loss  of  our  bright  Spain  and  happy  days.' 
So  cried  the  pagans  all ;  but  Marsile  sat 
Thoughtful,  and  yet  at  last  accepted  all." 

An  Embassy  to  Charlemagne 

Now  King  Marsile  dismissed  the  council  with  words 
of  thanks,  only  retaining  near  him  ten  of  his  most 

113 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
famous  barons,  chief  of  whom  was  Blancandrin  ;  to 
them  he  said  :  "  My  lords,  go  to  Cordova,  where  Charles 
is  at  this  time.  Bear  olive-branches  in  your  hands,  in 
token  of  peace,  and  reconcile  me  with  him.  Great  shall 
be  your  reward  if  you  succeed.  Beg  Charles  to  have 
pity  on  me,  and  I  will  follow  him  to  Aix  within  a 
month,  will  receive  the  Christian  law,  and  become  his 
vassal  in  love  and  loyalty." 

"Sire,"  said  Blancandrin,  "you  shall  have  a  good 
treaty ! " 

The  ten  messengers  departed,  bearing  olive-branches 
in  their  hands,  riding  on  white  mules,  with  reins  of 
gold  and  saddles  of  silver,  and  came  to  Charles  as  he 
rested  after  the  siege  of  Cordova,  which  he  had  just 
taken  and  sacked. 

Reception  by  Charlemagne 

Charlemagne  was  in  an  orchard  with  his  Twelve 
Peers  and  fifteen  thousand  veteran  warriors  of  France. 
The  messengers  from  the  heathen  king  reached  this 
orchard  and  asked  for  the  emperor ;  their  gaze 
wandered  over  groups  of  wise  nobles  playing  at  chess, 
and  groups  of  gay  youths  fencing,  till  at  last  it  rested 
on  a  throne  of  solid  gold,  set  under  a  pine-tree  and 
overshadowed  with  eglantine.  There  sat  Charles,  the 
king  who  ruled  fair  France,  with  white  flowing  beard 
and  hoary  head,  stately  of  form  and  majestic  of  coun- 
tenance. No  need  was  there  of  usher  to  cry  :  "  Here 
sits  Charles  the  King." 

The  ambassadors  greeted  Charlemagne  with  all 
honour,  and  Blancandrin  opened  the  embassy  thus  : 

"  Peace  be  with  you  from  God  the  Lord  of  Glory 
whom  you  adore  !  Thus  says  the  valiant  King  Marsile: 
He  has  been  instructed  in  your  faith,  the  way  of  salva- 
tion, and  is  willing  to  be  baptized  ;  but  you  have  been 
114 


"Here  sits  Charles  the  King" 


124 


CHARLEMAGNE  CONSULTS  HIS  PEERS 

too  long  in  our  bright  Spain,  and  should  return  to  Aix. 
There  will  he  follow  you  and  become  your  vassal, 
holding  the  kingdom  of  Spain  at  your  hand.  Gifts 
have  we  brought  from  him  to  lay  at  your  feet,  for  he 
will  share  his  treasures  with  you  !  " 

He  is  Perplexed 

Charlemagne  raised  his  hands  in  thanks  to  God,  but 
then  bent  his  head  and  remained  thinking  deeply,  for 
he  was  a  man  of  prudent  mind,  cautious  and  far-seeing, 
and  never  spoke  on  impulse.  At  last  he  said  proudly: 
"Ye  have  spoken  fairly,  but  Marsile  is  my  greatest 
enemy  :  how  can  I  trust  your  words  ?  " 

Blancandrin  replied  :  "  He  will  give  hostages,  twenty 
of  our  noblest  youths,  and  my  own  son  will  be 
among  them.  King  Marsile  will  follow  you  to  the 
wondrous  springs  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  and  on  the  feast 
of  St.  Michael  will  receive  baptism  in  your  court." 

Thus  the  audience  ended.  The  messengers  were 
feasted  in  a  pavilion  raised  in  the  orchard,  and  the 
night  passed  in  gaiety  and  good-fellowship. 

He  Consults  his  Twelve  Peers 

In  the  early  morning  Charlemagne  arose  and  heard 
Mass  ;  then,  sitting  beneath  a  pine-tree,  he  called  the 
Twelve  Peers  to  council.  There  came  the  twelve 
heroes,  chief  of  them  Roland  and  his  loyal  brother-in- 
arms Oliver  ;  there  came  Archbishop  Turpin ;  and, 
among  a  thousand  loyal  Franks,  there  came  Ganelon 
the  traitor.  When  all  were  seated  in  due  order 
Charlemagne  began  : 

"  My  lords  and  barons,  I  have  received  an  embassy 
of  peace  from  King  Marsile,  who  sends  me  great  gifts 
and  offers,  but  on  condition  that  I  leave  Spain  and 
return  to  Aix.  Thither  will  he  follow  me,  to  receive 

1*5 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

the  Faith,  become  a  Christian  and  my  vassal.     Is  he 
to  be  trusted  ?  " 

"  Let  us  beware,"  cried  all  the  Franks. 

Roland  Speaks 

Roland,  ever  impetuous,  now  rose  without  delay,  and 
spoke  :  "  Fair  uncle  and  sire,  it  would  be  madness  to 
trust  Marsile.  Seven  years  have  we  warred  in  Spain, 
and  many  cities  have  I  won  for  you,  but  Marsile  has 
ever  been  treacherous.  Once  before  when  he  sent 
messengers  with  olive-branches  you  and  the  French 
foolishly  believed  him,  and  he  beheaded  the  two  counts 
who  were  iyour  ambassadors  to  him.  Fight  Marsile  to 
the  end,  besiege  and  sack  Saragossa,  and  avenge  those 
who  perished  by  his  treachery." 

Ganelon  Objects 

Charlemagne  looked  out  gloomily  from  under  his 
heavy  brows,  he  twisted  his  moustache  and  pulled  his 
long  white  beard,  but  said  nothing,  and  all  the  Franks 
remained  silent,  except  Ganelon,  whose  hostility  to 
Roland  showed  clearly  in  his  words  : 

"  Sire,  blind  credulity  were  wrong  and  foolish,  but 
follow  up  your  own  advantage.  When  Marsile  offers 
to  become  your  vassal,  to  hold  Spain  at  your  hand  and 
to  take  your  faith,  any  man  who  urges  you  to  reject 
such  terms  cares  little  for  our  death  !  Let  pride  no 
longer  be  your  counsellor,  but  hear  the  voice  of 
wisdom." 

The  aged  Duke  Naimes,  the  Nestor  of  the  army, 
spoke  next,  supporting  Ganelon :  "  Sire,  the  advice  of 
Count  Ganelon  is  wise,  if  wisely  followed.  Marsile 
lies  at  your  mercy ;  he  has  lost  all,  and  only  begs  for 
pity.  It  would  be  a  sin  to  press  this  cruel  war,  since 
he  offers  full  guarantee  by  his  hostages.  You  need 
iz6 


ROLAND  SUGGESTS  GANELON 

only  send  one  of  your  barons  to  arrange  the  terms  of 
peace." 

This  advice  pleased  the  whole  assembly,  and  a 
murmur  was  heard  :  "The  Duke  has  spoken  well." 

"Who  Shall  Go  to  Saragossa?" 

" '  My  lords  and  peers,  whom  shall  we  send 
To  Saragossa  to  Marsile  I ' 
'  Sire,  let  me  go,'  replied  Duke  Naimes  ; 

*  Give  me  your  glove  and  warlike  staff.' 

*  No  ! '  cried  the  king,  « my  counsellor, 
Thou  shalt  not  leave  me  unadvised — 
Sit  down  again  ;  I  bid  thee  stay.' 

*«  *  My  lords  and  peers,  whom  shall  we  send 
To  Saragossa  to  Marsile  ? ' 
'  Sire,  I  can  go,'  quoth  Roland  bold. 
1  That  canst  thou  not,'  said  Oliver  ; 

*  Thy  heart  is  far  too  hot  and  fierce — 
I  fear  for  thee.     But  I  will  go, 

If  that  will  please  my  lord  the  King.' 
'  No  ! '  cried  the  king,  '  ye  shall  not  go. 
I  swear  by  this  white  flowing  beard 
No  peer  shall  undertake  the  task.' 

" '  My  lords  and  peers,  whom  shall  we  send  ?  ' 
Archbishop  Turpin  rose  and  spoke  : 
1  Fair  sire,  let  me  be  messenger. 
Your  nobles  all  have  played  their  part ; 
Give  me  your  glove  and  warlike  staff, 
And  I  will  show  this  heathen  king 
In  frank  speech  how  a  true  knight  feels.' 
But  wrathfully  the  king  replied  : 
f  By  this  white  beard,  thou  shalt  not  go  ! 
Sit  down,  and  raise  thy  voice  no  more.' " 

Roland  Suggests  Ganclon 

"  Knights  of  France,"  quoth  Charlemagne,  "  choose 
me  now  one  of  your  number  to  do  my  errand  to 
Marsile,  and  to  defend  my  honour  valiantly,  if 
need  be." 

127 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"  Ah,"  said  Roland,  "  then  it  must  be  Ganelon,  my 
stepfather  ;  for  whether  he  goes  or  stays,  you  have 
none  better  than  he  !  " 

This  suggestion  satisfied  all  the  assembly,  and  they 
cried  :  "  Ganelon  will  acquit  himself  right  manfully. 
If  it  please  the  King,  he  is  the  right  man  to  go." 

Charlemagne  thought  for  a  moment,  and  then,  rais- 
ing his  head,  beckoned  to  Ganelon.  "  Come  hither, 
Ganelon,"  he  said,  "  and  receive  this  glove  and  staff, 
which  the  voice  of  all  the  Franks  gives  to  thee." 

Ganelon  is  Angry 

"  No,"  replied  Ganelon,  wrathfully.  "  This  is  the 
work  of  Roland,  and  I  will  never  forgive  him,  nor  his 
friends,  Oliver  and  the  other  Peers.  Here,  in  your 
presence,  I  bid  them  defiance  !  " 

"  Your  anger  is  too  great,"  said  Charlemagne  ;  "  you 
will  go,  since  it  is  my  will  also." 

"  Yes,  I  shall  go,  but  I  shall  perish  as  did  your  two 
former  ambassadors.  Sire,  forget  not  that  your  sister 
is  my  wife,  and  that  Baldwin,  my  son,  will  be  a  valiant 
champion  if  he  lives.  I  leave  to  him  my  lands  and 
fiefs.  Sire,  guard  him  well,  for  I  shall  see  him  no 
more." 

"  Your  heart  is  too  tender,"  said  Charlemagne. 
"  You  must  go,  since  such  is  my  command." 

He  Threatens  Roland 

Ganelon,  in  rage  and  anguish,  glared  round  the 
council,  and  his  face  drew  all  eyes,  so  fiercely  he  looked 
at  Roland. 

"  Madman,"  said  he,  "  all  men  know  that  I  am  thy 
stepfather,  and  for   this  cause  thou  hast   sent  me   to 
Marsile,  that  I  may  perish  !     But  if  I  return  I  will  be 
revenged  on  thee." 
128 


GANELON  IS  SENT 

"  Madness  and  pride,"  Roland  retorted,  "  have  no 
terrors  for  me  ;  but  this  embassy  demands  a  prudent 
man,  not  an  angry  fool :  if  Charles  consents,  I  will  do 
his  errand  for  thee." 

"  Thou  shalt  not.  Thou  art  not  my  vassal,  to  do  my 
work,  and  Charles,  my  lord,  has  given  me  his  com- 
mands. I  go  to  Saragossa  ;  but  there  will  I  find  some 
way  to  vent  my  anger." 

Now  Roland  began  to  laugh,  so  wild  did  his  step- 
father's threats  seem,  and  the  laughter  stung  Ganelon 
to  madness.  "  1  hate  you,"  he  cried  to  Roland  ;  "  you 
have  brought  this  unjust  choice  on  me."  Then,  turning 
to  the  emperor  :  "  Mighty  lord,  behold  me  ready  to 
fulfil  your  commands." 

But  is  Sent 

"  Fair  Lord  Ganelon,"  spoke  Charlemagne,  "  bear 
this  message  to  Marsile.  He  must  become  my  vassal 
and  receive  holy  baptism.  Half  of  Spain  shall  be  his 
fief;  the  other  half  is  for  Count  Roland.  If  Marsile 
does  not  accept  these  terms  I  will  besiege  Saragossa, 
capture  the  town,  and  lead  Marsile  prisoner  to  Aix, 
where  he  shall  die  in  shame  and  torment.  Take  this 
letter,  sealed  with  my  seal,  and  deliver  it  into  the 
king's  own  right  hand." 

Thereupon  Charlemagne  held  out  his  right-hand 
glove  to  Ganelon,  who  would  fain  have  refused  it.  So 
reluctant  was  he  to  grasp  it  that  the  glove  fell  to  the 
ground.  "  Ah,  God  !  "  cried  the  Franks,  "  what  an 
evil  omen  I  What  woes  will  come  to  us  from  this 
embassy  1 "  "You  shall  hear  full  tidings,"  quoth 
Ganelon.  "  Now,  sire,  dismiss  me,  for  I  have  no  time 
to  lose."  Very  solemnly  Charlemagne  raised  his  hand 
and  made  the  sign  of  the  Cross  over  Ganelon,  and  gave 
him  his  blessing,  saying,  "  Go,  for  the  honour  of  Jesus 

129 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Christ-,  and  for  your  Emperor."  So  Ganelon  took  his 
leave,  and  returned  to  his  lodging,  where  he  prepared 
for  his  journey,  and  bade  farewell  to  the  weeping 
retainers  whom  he  left  behind,  though  they  begged  to 
accompany  him.  "God  forbid,"  cried  he,  "that  so 
many  brave  knights  should  die  1  Rather  will  I  die 
alone.  You,  sirs,  return  to  our  fair  France,  greet 
well  my  wife,  guard  my  son  Baldwin,  and  defend  his 
fief!" 

He  Plots  with  Marsile's  Messengers 

Then  Ganelon  rode  away,  and  shortly  overtook  the 
ambassadors  of  the  Moorish  king,  for  Blancandrin  had 
delayed  their  journey  to  accompany  him,  and  the  twc 
envoys  began  a  crafty  conversation,  for  both  were  wary 
and  skilful,  and  each  was  trying  to  read  the  other's 
mind.  The  wily  Saracen  began  : 

11 '  Ah  !  what  a  wondrous  king  is  Charles  ! 
How  far  and  wide  his  conquests  range  ! 
The  salt  sea  is  no  bar  to  him  : 
From  Poland  to  far  England's  shores 
He  stretches  his  unquestioned  sway; 
But  why  seeks  he  to  win  bright  Spain  ? ' 
1  Such  is  his  will,'  quoth  Ganelon  ; 

I  None  can  withstand  his  mighty  power  ! ' 

11 '  How  valiant  are  the  Prankish  lords 
But  how  their  counsel  wrongs  their  king 
To  urge  him  to  this  long-drawn  strife — 
They  ruin  both  themselves  and  him  ! ' 

I 1  blame  not  them,'  quoth  Ganelon, 

'  But  Roland,  swollen  with  fatal  pride. 
Near  Carcassonne  he  brought  the  King 
An  apple,  crimson  streaked  with  gold  : 
"  Fair  sire,"  quoth  he,  "  here  at  your  feet 
I  lay  the  crowns  of  all  the  kings." 
If  he  were  dead  we  should  have  peace  ! ' 
130 


Ganelon  rode  away 


GANELON  WITH  THE  SARACENS 

11  *  How  haughty  must  this  Roland  be 
Who  fain  would  conquer  all  the  earth  ! 
Such  pride  deserves  due  chastisement ! 
What  warriors  has  he  for  the  task  ?  * 
'The  Franks  of  France,'  quoth  Ganelon, 
*  The  bravest  warriors  'neath  the  sun  ! 
For  love  alone  they  follow  him 
(Or  lavish  gifts  which  he  bestows) 
To  death,  or  conquest  of  the  world  ! '  * 

To  Betray  Roland 

The  bitterness  in  Ganelon's  tone  at  once  struck 
Blancandrin,  who  cast  a  glance  at  him  and  saw  the 
Frankish  envoy  trembling  with  rage.  He  suddenly 
addressed  Ganelon  in  whispered  tones :  "  Hast  thou 
aught  against  the  nephew  of  Charles  ?  Wouldst  thou 
have  revenge  on  Roland  ?  Deliver  him  to  us,  and 
King  Marsile  will  share  with  thee  all  his  treasures." 
Ganelon  was  at  first  horrified,  and  refused  to  hear  more, 
but  so  well  did  Blancandrin  argue  and  so  skilfully  did 
he  lay  his  snare  that  before  they  reached  Saragossa  and 
came  to  the  presence  of  King  Marsile  it  was  agreed 
that  Roland  should  be  destroyed  by  their  means. 

Ganelon  with  the  Saracens 

Blancandrin  and  his  fellow  ambassadors  conducted 
Ganelon  into  the  presence  of  the  Saracen  king,  and 
announced  Charlemagne's  peaceable  reception  of  their 
message  and  the  coming  of  his  envoy.  "Let  him 
speak  :  we  listen,"  said  Marsile. 

Ganelon  then  began  artfully :  "  Peace  be  to  you  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  of  Glory  whom  we  adore  1  This  is 
the  message  of  King  Charles  :  You  shall  receive  the 
Holy  Christian  Faith,  and  Charles  will  graciously  grant 
you  one-half  of  Spain  as  a  fief;  the  other  half  he  intends 
for  his  nephew  Roland  (and  a  haughty  partner  you  will 
i  131 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
find  him  !).     If  you  refuse  he  will  take  Saragossa,  lead 
you  captive  to  Aix,  and  give  you  there  to  a  shameful 
death." 

Marsile's  Anger 

Marsile's  anger  was  so  great  at  this  insulting  message 
that  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  would  have  slain  Ganelon 
with  his  gold-adorned  javelin  ;  but  he,  seeing  this,  half 
drew  his  sword,  saying  : 

" '  Sword,  how  fair  and  bright  thou  art  ! 
Come  thou  forth  and  view  the  light. 
Long  as  I  can  wield  thee  here 
Charles  my  Emperor  shall  not  say 
That  I  die  alone,  unwept. 
Ere  I  fall  Spain's  noblest  blood 
Shall  be  shed  to  pay  my  death.' " 

The  Saracen  Council 

However,  strife  was  averted,  and  Ganelon  received 
praise  from  all  for  his  bold  bearing  and  valiant  defiance 
of  his  king's  enemy.  When  quiet  was  restored  he 
repeated  his  message  and  delivered  the  emperor's 
letter,  which  was  found  to  contain  a  demand  that  the 
caliph,  Marsile's  uncle,  should  be  sent,  a  prisoner,  to 
Charles,  in  atonement  for  the  two  ambassadors  foully 
slain  before.  The  indignation  of  the  Saracen  nobles 
was  intense,  and  Ganelon  was  in  imminent  danger,  but, 
setting  his  back  against  a  pine-tree,  he  prepared  to  defend 
himself  to  the  last.  Again  the  quarrel  was  stayed,  and 
Marsile,  taking  his  most  trusted  leaders,  withdrew  to  a 
secret  council,  whither,  soon,  Blancandrin  led  Ganelon. 
Here  Marsile  excused  his  former  rage,  and,  in  reparation, 
offered  Ganelon  a  superb  robe  of  marten's  fur,  which 
was  accepted  ;  and  then  began  the  tempting  of  the 
traitor.  First  demanding  a  pledge  of  secrecy,  Marsile 
13* 


GANELON  PLANS  TREACHERY 
pitied  Charlemagne,  so  aged  and  so  weary  with  rule. 
Ganelon  praised  his  emperor's  prowess  and  vast  power. 
Marsile  repeated  his  words  of  pity,  and  Ganelon  replied 
that  as  long  as  Roland  and  the  Twelve  Peers  lived 
Charlemagne  needed  no  man's  pity  and  feared  no 
man's  power  ;  his  Franks,  also,  were  the  best  living 
warriors.  Marsile  declared  proudly  that  he  could  bring 
four  hundred  thousand  men  against  Charlemagne's 
twenty  thousand  French  ;  but  Ganelon  dissuaded  him 
from  any  such  expedition. 

Ganelon  Plans  Treachery 

11 '  Not  thus  will  you  overcome  him ; 

Leave  this  folly,  turn  to  wisdom. 

Give  the  Emperor  so  much  treasure 

That  the  Franks  will  be  astounded. 

Send  him,  too,  the  promised  pledges, 

Sons  of  all  your  noblest  vassals. 

To  fair  France  will  Charles  march  homeward, 

Leaving  (as  I  will  contrive  it) 

Haughty  Roland  in  the  rearguard. 

Oliver,  the  bold  and  courteous, 

Will  be  with  him :  slay  those  heroes, 

And  King  Charles  will  fall  for  ever  ! ' 

*  Fair  Sir  Ganelon,'  quoth  Marsile, 

*  How  must  I  entrap  Count  Roland  I ' 

1  When  King  Charles  is  in  the  mountains 

He  will  leave  behind  his  rearguard 

Under  Oliver  and  Roland. 

Send  against  them  half  your  army  : 

Roland  and  the  Peers  will  conquer, 

But  be  wearied  with  the  struggle — 

Then  bring  on  your  untired  warriors. 

France  will  lose  this  second  battle, 

And  when  Roland  dies,  the  Emperor 

Has  no  right  hand  for  his  conflicts — 

Farewell  all  the  Prankish  greatness  ! 

Ne'er  again  can  Charles  assemble 

Such  a  mighty  host  for  conquest, 

And  you  will  have  peace  henceforward  ! ' " 

133 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Welcomed  by  Marsile 

Marsile  was  overjoyed  at  the  treacherous  advice,  and 
embraced  and  richly  rewarded  the  felon  knight.  The 
death  of  Roland  and  the  Peers  was  solemnly  sworn 
between  them,  by  Marsile  on  the  book  of  the  Law  of 
Mahomet,  by  Ganelon  on  the  sacred  relics  in  the 
pommel  of  his  sword.  Then,  repeating  the  compact 
between  them,  and  warning  Ganelon  against  treason  to 
his  friends,  Marsile  dismissed  the  treacherous  envoy, 
who  hastened  to  return  and  put  his  scheme  into 
execution. 

Ganelon  Returns  to  Charles 

In  the  meantime  Charles  had  retired  as  far  as 
Valtierra,  on  his  way  to  France,  and  there  Ganelon 
found  him,  and  delivered  the  tribute,  the  keys  of 
Saragossa,  and  a  false  message  excusing  the  absence  of 
the  caliph.  He  had,  so  Marsile  said,  put  to  sea  with 
three  hundred  thousand  warriors  who  would  not  re- 
nounce their  faith,  and  all  had  been  drowned  in  a 
tempest,  not  four  leagues  from  land.  Marsile  would 
obey  King  Charles's  commands  in  all  other  respects. 
"Thank  God!"  cried  Charlemagne.  "Ganelon,  you 
have  done  well,  and  shall  be  well  rewarded  1 " 

The  French  Camp.    Charles  Dreams 

Now  the  whole  Prankish  army  marched  towards  the 
Pyrenees,  and,  as  evening  fell,  found  themselves  among 
the  mountains,  where  Roland  planted  his  banner  on  the 
topmost  summit,  clear  against  the  sky,  and  the  army 
encamped  for  the  night ;  but  the  whole  Saracen  host 
had  also  marched  and  encamped  in  a  wood  not  far  from 
the  Franks.  Meanwhile,  as  Charlemagne  slept  he  had 
dreams  of  evil  omen.  Ganelon,  in  his  dreams,  seized 


A  MORNING  COUNCIL 

the  imperial  spear  of  tough  ash-wood,  and  broke  it,  so 
that  the  splinters  flew  far  and  wide.  In  another  dream 
he  saw  himself  at  Aix  attacked  by  a  leopard  and  a  bear, 
which  tore  off  his  right  arm  ;  a  greyhound  came  to  his 
aid,  but  he  knew  not  the  end  of  the  fray,  and  slept 
unhappily. 

A  Morning  Council 

When  morning  light  shone,  and  the  army  was  ready 
to  march,  the  clarions  of  the  host  sounded  gaily,  and 
Charlemagne  called  his  barons  around  him. 

"  *  My  lords  and  Peers,  ye  see  these  strait  defiles  : 
Choose  ye  to  whom  the  rearguard  shall  be  given.' 
'  My  stepson  Roland,'  straight  quoth  Ganelon. 
*  'Mid  all  the  Peers  there  is  no  braver  knight : 
In  him  will  lie  the  safety  of  your  host.' 
Charles  heard  in  wrath,  and  spoke  in  angry  tones : 
'  What  fiendish  rage  has  prompted  this  advice  ? 
Who  then  will  go  before  me  in  the  van  ? ' 
The  traitor  tarried  not,  but  answered  swift  : 
'  Ogier  the  Dane  will  do  that  duty  best.'  " 

When  Roland  heard  that  he  was  to  command  the 
rearguard  he  knew  not  whether  to  be  pleased  or  not. 
At  first  he  thanked  Ganelon  for  naming  him.  "  Thanks, 
fair  stepfather,  for  sending  me  to  the  post  of  danger. 
King  Charles  shall  lose  no  man  nor  horse  through  my 
neglect."  But  when  Ganelon  replied  sneeringly,  "You 
speak  the  truth,  as  I  know  right  well,"  Roland's  grati- 
tude turned  to  bitter  anger,  and  he  reproached  the 
villain.  "Ah,  wretch  !  disloyal  traitor!  thou  thinkest 
perchance  that  I,  like  thee,  shall  basely  drop  the  glove. 
But  thou  shalt  see  !  Sir  King,  give  me  your  bow.  I 
will  not  let  my  badge  of  office  fall,  as  thou  didst, 
Ganelon,  at  Cordova.  No  evil  omen  shall  assail  the 
host  through  me." 

'35 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Roland  for  the  Rearguard 

Charlemagne  was  very  loath  to  grant  his  request,  but 
on  the  advice  of  Duke  Naimes,  most  prudent  of  coun- 
sellors, he  gave  to  Roland  his  bow,  and  offered  to  leave 
with  him  half  the  army.  To  this  the  champion  would 
not  agree,  but  would  only  have  twenty  thousand  Franks 
from  fair  France.  Roland  clad  himself  in  his  shining 
armour,  laced  on  his  lordly  helmet,  girt  himself  with 
his  famous  sword  Durendala,  and  hung  round  his  neck 
his  flower-painted  shield  ;  he  mounted  his  good  steed 
Veillantif,  and  took  in  hand  his  bright  lance  with  the 
white  pennon  and  golden  fringe  ;  then,  looking  like 
the  Archangel  St.  Michael,  he  rode  forward,  and  easy 
it  was  to  see  how  all  the  Franks  loved  him  and  would 
follow  where  he  led.  Beside  him  rode  the  famous 
Peers  of  France,  Oliver  the  bold  and  courteous,  the 
saintly  Archbishop  Turpin,  and  Count  Gautier,  Roland's 
loyal  vassal.  They  chose  carefully  the  twenty  thousand 
French  for  the  rearguard,  and  Roland  sent  Gautier 
with  one  thousand  of  their  number  to  search  the 
mountains.  Alas !  they  never  returned,  for  King 
Almaris,  a  Saracen  chief,  met  and  slew  them  all 
among  the  hills  ;  and  only  Gautier,  sorely  wounded 
and  bleeding  to  death,  returned  to  Roland  in  the  final 
struggle. 

Charlemagne  spoke  a  mournful  "Farewell"  to  his 
nephew  and  the  rearguard,  and  the  mighty  army  began 
to  traverse  the  gloomy  ravine  through  the  dark  masses 
of  rocks,  and  to  emerge  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Pyrenees.  All  wept,  most  for  joy  to  set  eyes  on  that 
dear  land  of  fair  France,  which  for  seven  years  they 
had  not  seen  ;  but  Charles,  with  a  sad  foreboding  of 
disaster,  hid  his  eyes  beneath  his  cloak  and  wept  in 
silence. 
136 


THE  SARACEN  PURSUIT 

Charles  is  Sad 

"  What  grief  weighs  on  your  mind,  sire  ?  "  asked  the 
wise  Duke  Naimes,  riding  up  beside  Charlemagne. 

"  I  mourn  for  my  nephew.  Last  night  in  a  vision  I 
saw  Ganelon  break  my  trusty  lance — this  Ganelon  who 
has  sent  Roland  to  the  rear.  And  now  I  have  left 
Roland  in  a  foreign  land,  and,  O  God  !  if  I  lose  him 
I  shall  never  find  his  equal !  "  And  the  emperor  rode 
on  in  silence,  seeing  naught  but  his  own  sad  foreboding 
visions. 

The  Saracen  Pursuit 

Meanwhile  King  Marsile,  with  his  countless  Saracens, 
had  pursued  so  quickly  that  the  van  of  the  heathen 
army  soon  saw  waving  the  banners  of  the  Prankish 
rear.  Then  as  they  halted  before  the  strife  began,  one 
by  one  the  nobles  of  Saragossa,  the  champions  of  the 
Moors,  advanced  and  claimed  the  right  to  measure 
themselves  against  the  Twelve  Peers  of  France.  Mar- 
sile's  nephew  received  the  royal  glove  as  chief  champion, 
and  eleven  Saracen  chiefs  took  a  vow  to  slay  Roland 
and  spread  the  faith  of  Mahomet. 

"  Death  to  the  rearguard  !  Roland  shall  die  ! 
Death  to  the  Peers  !  Woe  to  France  and  Charlemagne ! 
We  will  bring  the  Emperor  to  your  feet !  You  shall 
sleep  at  St.  Denis  !  Down  with  fair  France  !  "  Such 
were  their  confident  cries  as  they  armed  for  the  con- 
flict ;  and  on  their  side  no  less  eager  were  the  Franks. 

"  Fair  Sir  Comrade,"  said  Oliver  to  Roland,  "  me- 
thinks  we  shall  have  a  fray  with  the  heathen." 

"  God  grant  it,"  returned  Roland.  "  Our  duty  is  to 
hold  this  pass  for  our  king.  A  vassal  must  endure  for 
his  lord  grief  and  pain,  heat  and  cold,  torment  and 
death";  and  a  knight's  duty  is  to  strike  mighty  blows, 

137 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
that  men  may  sing  of  him,  in  time  to  come,  no  evil 
songs.     Never  shall  such  be  sung  of  me." 

Oliver  Descries  the  Saracens 

Hearing  a  great  tumult,  Oliver  ascended  a  hill  and 
looked  towards  Spain,  where  he  perceived  the  great 
pagan  army,  like  a  gleaming  sea,  with  shining  hauberks 
and  helms  flashing  in  the  sun.  "  Alas  !  we  are  betrayed  1 
This  treason  is  plotted  by  Ganelon,  who  put  us  in 
the  rear,"  he  cried.  "  Say  no  more,"  said  Roland  ; 
"  blame  him  not  in  this  :  he  is  my  stepfather." 

Now  Oliver  alone  had  seen  the  might  of  the  pagan 
array,  and  he  was  appalled  by  the  countless  multitudes 
of  the  heathens.  He  descended  from  the  hill  and 
appealed  to  Roknd. 

Roland  wUl  not  Blow  his  Horn 

•* '  Comrade  Roland,  sound  your  war-horn, 
Your  great  Olifant,  far-sounding  : 
Charles  will  hear  it  and  return  here.' 

*  Cowardice  were  that,'  quoth  Roland  ; 

*  In  fair  France  my  fame  were  tarnished. 
No,  these  Pagans  all  shall  perish 
When  I  brandish  Durendala.' 

" '  Comrade  Roland,  sound  your  war-horn : 
Charles  will  hear  it  and  return  here.' 

*  God  forbid  it,'  Roland  answered, 

*  That  it  e'er  be  sung  by  minstrels 
I  was  asking  help  in  battle 

From  my  King  against  these  Pagans. 
I  will  ne'er  do  such  die  honour 
To  my  kinsmen  and  my  nation. 
No,  these  heathen  all  shall  perish 
When  I  brandish  Durendala.' 

" '  Comrade  Roland,  sound  your  war-horn  : 
Charles  will  hear  it  and  return  here. 
See  how  countless  are  the  heathen 
And  how  small  our  Prankish  troop  is  ! ' 
13* 


TURPIN  BLESSES  THE  KNIGHTS 

'  God  forbid  it,'  answered  Roland, 
That  our  fair  France  be  dishonoured 
Or  by  me  or  by  my  comrades — 
Death  we  choose,  but  not  dishonour  !  *  " 

Roland  was  a  valiant  hero,  but  Oliver  had  prudence 
as  well  as  valour,  and  his  advice  was  that  of  a  good  and 
careful  general.  Now  he  spoke  reproachfully. 

It  is  Too  Late 

"Ah,  Roland,  if  you  had  sounded  your  magic  horn 
the  king  would  soon  be  here,  and  we  should  not 
perish  !  Now  look  to  the  heights  and  to  the  mountain 
passes  :  see  those  who  surround  us.  None  of  us  will 
see  the  light  of  another  day  !  " 

"  Speak  not  so  foolishly,"  retorted  Roland.  "Accursed 
be  all  cowards,  say  I."  Then,  softening  his  tone  a  little, 
he  continued  :  "  Friend  and  comrade,  say  no  more. 
The  emperor  has  entrusted  to  us  twenty  thousand 
Frenchmen,  and  not  a  coward  among  them.  Lay  on 
with  thy  lance,  Oliver,  and  I  will  strike  with  Duren- 
dala.  If  I  die  men  shall  say:  'This  was  the  sword  of  a 
noble  vassal.' " 

Turpin  Blesses  the  Knights 

Then  spoke  the  brave  and  saintly  Archbishop  Turpin. 
Spurring  his  horse,  he  rode,  a  gallant  figure,  to  the 
summit  of  a  hill,  whence  he  called  aloud  to  the  Prankish 
knights  : 

" '  Fair  sirs  and  barons,  Charles  has  left  us  here 
To  serve  him,  or  at  need  to  die  for  him. 
See,  yonder  come  the  foes  of  Christendom, 
And  we  must  fight  for  God  and  Holy  Faith. 
Now,  say  your  shrift,  and  make  your  peace  with  Heaven  ; 
I  will  absolve  you  and  will  heal  your  souls ; 
And  if  you  die  as  martyrs,  your  true  home 
Is  ready  midst  the  flowers  of  Paradise  ! ' " 

139 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Prankish  knights,  dismounting,  knelt  before 
Turpin,  who  blessed  and  absolved  them  all,  bidding 
them,  as  penance,  to  strike  hard  against  the  heathen. 

Then  Roland  called  his  brother-in-arms,  the  brave 
and  courteous  Oliver,  and  said  :  "  Fair  brother,  I  know 
now  that  Ganelon  has  betrayed  us  for  reward,  and 
Marsile  has  bought  us ;  but  the  payment  shall  be 
made  with  our  swords,  and  Charlemagne  will  terribly 
avenge  us." 

"Montjoie!  Montjoie!" 

While  the  two  armies  yet  stood  face  to  face  in  battle 
array  Oliver  replied  :  "  What  good  is  it  to  speak  ? 
You  would  not  sound  your  horn,  and  Charles  cannot 
help  us  ;  he  is  not  to  blame.  Barons  and  lords,  ride  on 
and  yield  not.  In  God's  name  fight  and  slay,  and 
remember  the  war-cry  of  our  Emperor."  And  at  the 
words  the  war-cry  of  "  Montjoic  !  Montjoie  !  "  burst 
from  the  whole  army  as  they  spurred  against  the 
advancing  heathen  host. 

The  Fray 

Great  was  the  fray  that  day,  deadly  was  the  combat, 
as  the  Moors  and  Franks  crashed  together,  shouting 
their  cries,  invoking  their  gods  or  saints,  wielding  with 
utmost  courage  sword,  lance,  javelin,  scimitar,  or  dagger. 
Blades  flashed,  lances  were  splintered,  helms  were  cloven 
in  that  terrible  fight  of  heroes.  Each  of  the  Twelve 
Peers  did  mighty  feats  of  arms.  Roland  himself  slew 
the  nephew  of  King  Marsile,  who  had  promised  to 
bring  Roland's  head  to  his  uncle's  feet,  and  bitter  were 
the  words  that  Roland  hurled  at  the  lifeless  body  of 
his  foe,  who  had  but  just  before  boasted  that  Charle- 
magne should  lose  his  right  hand.  Oliver  slew  the 
heathen  king's  brother,  and  one  by  one  the  Twelve 
140 


THE  SARACENS  PERISH 

Peers  proved  their  mettle  on  the  twelve  champions  of 
King  Marsile,  and  left  them  dead  or  mortally  wounded 
on  the  field.  Wherever  the  battle  was  fiercest  and  the 
danger  greatest,  where  help  was  most  needed,  there 
Roland  spurred  to  the  rescue,  swinging  Durendala, 
and,  falling  on  the  heathen  like  a  thunderbolt  of  war, 
turned  the  tide  of  battle  again  and  yet  again. 

"  Red  was  Roland,  red  with  bloodshed : 
Red  his  corselet,  red  his  shoulders, 
Red  his  arm,  and  red  his  charger." 

Like  the  red  god  Mars  he  rode  through  the  battle ; 
and  as  he  went  he  met  Oliver,  with  the  truncheon  or 
a  spear  in  his  grasp. 

"  *  Friend,  what  hast  thou  there  ? '  cried  Roland. 

*  In  this  game  'tis  not  a  distaff, 
But  a  blade  of  steel  thou  needest. 

Where  is  now  Hauteclaire,  thy  good  sword, 
Golden-hilted,  crystal-pommeled  ? ' 
«  Here,'  said  Oliver  ;  '  so  fight  I 
That  I  have  not  time  to  draw  it.' 

*  Friend,'  quoth  Roland, '  more  I  love  thee 
Ever  henceforth  than  a  brother.'  " 

The  Saracens  Perish 

Thus  the  battle  continued,  most  valiantly  contested 
by  both  sides,  and  the  Saracens  died  by  hundreds  and 
thousands,  till  all  their  host  lay  dead  but  one  man,  who 
fled  wounded,  leaving  the  Frenchmen  masters  of  the 
field,  but  in  sorry  plight — broken  were  their  swords  and 
lances,  rent  their  hauberks,  torn  and  bloodstained  their 
gay  banners  and  pennons,  and  many,  many  of  their 
brave  comrades  lay  lifeless.  Sadly  they  looked  round  on 
the  heaps  of  corpses,  and  their  minds  were  filled  with 
grief  as  they  thought  of  their  companions,  of  fair  France 
which  they  should  see  no  more,  and  of  their  emperor 
who  even  now  awaited  them  while  they  fought  and  died 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

for  him.  Yet  they  were  not  discouraged  ;  loudly  their 
cry  re-echoed,  "  Montjoie  !  Montjoie  ! "  as  Roland 
cheered  them  on,  and  Turpin  called  aloud  :  "  Our  men 
are  heroes  ;  no  king  under  heaven  has  better.  It  is 
written  in  the  Chronicles  of  France  that  in  that  great 
land  it  is  our  king's  right  to  have  valiant  soldiers." 

A  Second  Saracen  Army 

While  they  sought  in  tears  the  bodies  of  their  friends, 
the  main  army  of  the  Saracens,  under  King  Marsile  in 
person,  came  upon  them  ;  for  the  one  fugitive  who  had 
escaped  had  urged  Marsile  to  attack  again  at  once,  while 
the  Franks  were  still  weary.  The  advice  seemed  good 
to  Marsile,  and  he  advanced  at  the  head  of  a  hundred 
thousand  men,  whom  he  now  hurled  against  the  French, 
in  columns  of  fifty  thousand  at  a  time  ;  and  they  came 
on  right  valiantly,  with  clarions  sounding  and  trumpets 
blowing. 

**  *  Soldiers  of  the  Lord,'  cried  Turpin, 

'  Be  ye  valiant  and  steadfast, 

For  this  day  shall  crowns  be  given  you 

Midst  the  flowers  of  Paradise. 

In  the  name  of  God  our  Saviour, 

Be  ye  not  dismayed  nor  frighted, 

Lest  of  you  be  shameful  legends 

Chanted  by  the  tongue  of  minstrels, 

Rather  let  us  die  victorious, 

Since  this  eve  shall  see  us  lifeless  ! — 

Heaven  has  no  room  for  cowards ! 

Knights,  who  nobly  fight,  and  vainly, 

Ye  shall  sit  amid  the  holy 

In  the  blessed  fields  of  Heaven. 

On  then,  Friends  of  God,  to  glory  ! ' " 

And  the  battle  raged  anew,  with  all  the  odds  against  the 
small  handful  of  French,  who  knew  they  were  doomed, 
and  fought  as  though  they  were  "  fey." l 

*  Marked  out  for  death. 


THE  SECOND  ARMY  DEFEATED 

Gloomy  Portents 

Meanwhile  the  whole  course  of  nature  was  disturbed. 
In  France  there  were  tempests  of  wind  and  thunder, 
rain  and  hail ;  thunderbolts  fell  everywhere,  and  the 
earth  shook  exceedingly.  From  Mont  St.  Michel  to 
Cologne,  from  Besan9on  to  Wissant,  not  one  town 
could  show  its  walls  uninjured,  not  one  village  its  houses 
unshaken.  A  terrible  darkness  spread  over  all  the 
land,  only  broken  when  the  heavens  split  asunder  with 
the  lightning-flash.  Men  whispered  in  terror  :  "  Behold 
the  end  of  the  world  !  Behold  the  great  Day  of  Doom  !  " 
Alas !  they  knew  not  the  truth  :  it  was  the  great  mourning 
for  the  death  of  Roland. 

Many  French  Knights  Fall 

In  this  second  battle  the  French  champions  were 
weary,  and  before  long  they  began  to  fall  before  the 
valour  of  the  newly  arrived  Saracen  nobles.  First  died 
Engelier  the  Gascon,  mortally  wounded  by  the  lance 
of  that  Saracen  who  swore  brotherhood  to  Ganelon  ; 
next  Samson,  and  the  noble  Duke  Anseis.  These  three 
were  well  avenged  by  Roland  and  Oliver  and  Turpin. 
Then  in  quick  succession  died  Gerin  and  Gerier  and 
other  valiant  Peers  at  the  hands  of  Grandoigne,  until 
his  death-dealing  career  was  cut  short  by  Durendala. 
Another  desperate  single  combat  was  won  by  Turpin, 
who  slew  a  heathen  emir  "  as  black  as  molten  pitch." 

The  Second  Army  Defeated 

Finally  this  second  host  of  the  heathens  gave  way 
and  fled,  begging  Marsile  to  come  and  succour  them  ; 
but  now  of  the  victorious  French  there  were  but  sixty 
valiant  champions  left  alive,  including  Roland,  Oliver, 
and  the  fiery  prelate  Turpin. 

«43 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

A  Third  Appears 

Now  the  third  host  of  the  pagans  began  to  roll  for- 
ward upon  the  dauntless  little  band,  and  in  the  short 
breathing-space  before  the  Saracens  again  attacked  them 
Roland  cried  aloud  to  Oliver  : 

"  *  Fair  Knight  and  Comrade,  see  these  heroes, 
Valiant  warriors,  lying  lifeless  ! 
I  must  mourn  for  our  fair  country 
France,  left  widowed  of  her  barons. 
Charles  my  King,  why  art  thou  absent  ? 
Brother  mine,  how  shall  we  send  him 
Mournful  tidings  of  our  struggle  ? ' 

*  How  I  know  not,'  said  his  comrade. 

*  Better  death  than  vile  dishonour.'  " 

Roland  Willing  to  Blow  his  Horn 

" '  Comrade,  I  will  blow  my  war-horn : 
Charles  will  hear  it  in  the  passes 
And  return  with  all  his  army.' 
Oliver  quoth  :  *'Twere  disgraceful 
To  your  kinsmen  all  their  life-days. 
When  I  urged  it,  then  you  would  not  ; 
Now,  to  sound  your  horn  is  shameful, 
And  I  never  will  approve  it.'  " 

Oliver  Objects.    They  Quarrel 

"  *  See,  the  battle  goes  against  us : 
Comrade,  I  shall  sound  my  war-horn.' 
Oliver  replied  :  *  O  coward  ! 
When  I  urged  it,  then  you  would  not. 
If  fair  France  again  shall  greet  me 
You  shall  never  wed  my  sister  ; 
By  this  beard  of  mine  I  swear  it ! ' 

« « Why  so  bitter  and  so  wrathful  I  * 
Oliver  returned  :  '  'Tis  thy  fault ; 
Valour  is  not  kin  to  madness, 
Temperance  knows  naught  of  fury. 


Charlemagne  heard  it  again" 


144 


THE  HORN  IS  BLOWN 

You  have  killed  these  noble  champions, 
You  have  slain  the  Emperor's  vassals, 
You  have  robbed  us  of  our  conquests. 
Ah,  your  valour,  Count,  is  fatal  ! 
Charles  must  lose  his  doughty  heroes, 
And  your  league  with  me  must  finish 
With  this  day  in  bitter  sorrow.' " 

Turpin  Mediates 

Archbishop  Turpin  heard  the  dispute,  and  strove  to 
calm  the  angry  heroes.  "  Brave  knights,  be  not  so 
enraged.  The  horn  will  not  save  the  lives  of  these 
gallant  dead,  but  it  will  be  better  to  sound  it,  that 
Charles,  our  lord  and  emperor,  may  return,  may 
avenge  our  death  and  weep  over  our  corpses,  may  bear 
them  to  fair  France,  and  bury  them  in  the  sanctuary, 
where  the  wild  beasts  shall  not  devour  them."  "  That 
is  well  said,"  quoth  Roland  and  Oliver. 

The  Horn  is  Blown 

Then  at  last  Roland  put  tne  carved  ivory  horn,  the 
magic  Olifant,  to  his  lips,  and  blew  so  loudly  that  the 
sound  echoed  thirty  leagues  away.  "  Hark  !  our  men 
are  in  combat  ! "  cried  Charlemagne  ;  but  Ganelon 
retorted  :  "  Had  any  but  the  king  said  it,  that  had 
been  a  lie." 

A  second  time  Roland  blew  his  horn,  so  violently 
and  with  such  anguish  that  the  veins  of  his  temples 
burst,  and  the  blood  flowed  from  his  brow  and  from 
his  mouth.  Charlemagne,  pausing,  heard  it  again,  and 
said :  "  That  is  Roland's  horn  ;  he  would  not  sound 
it  were  there  no  battle."  But  Ganelon  said  mockingly  : 
"  There  is  no  battle,  for  Roland  is  too  proud  to  sound 
his  horn  in  danger.  Besides,  who  would  dare  to  attack 
Roland,  the  strong,  the  valiant,  great  and  wonderful 
Roland  ?  No  man.  He  is  doubtless  hunting,  and 

•45 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

laughing  with  the  Peers.  Your  words,  my  liege,  do  out 
show  how  old  and  weak  and  doting  you  are.  Ride  on, 
sire  ;  the  open  country  lies  far  before  you." 

When  Roland  blew  the  horn  for  the  third  time 
he  had  hardly  breath  to  awaken  the  echoes ;  but  still 
Charlemagne  heard.  "  How  faintly  comes  the  sound  ! 
There  is  death  in  that  feeble  blast !  "  said  the  emperor  ; 
and  Duke  Naimes  interrupted  eagerly :  "  Sire,  Roland 
is  in  peril ;  some  one  has  betrayed  him — doubtless  he 
who  now  tries  to  beguile  you  !  Sire,  rouse  your  host, 
arm  for  battle,  and  ride  to  save  your  nephew." 

Ganelon  Arrested 

Then  Charlemagne  called  aloud  :  "  Hither,  my  men. 
Take  this  traitor  Ganelon  and  keep  him  safe  till  my 
return."  And  the  kitchen  folk  seized  the  felon  knight, 
chained  him  by  the  neck,  and  beat  him  ;  then,  binding 
him  hand  and  foot,  they  flung  him  on  a  sorry  nag,  to 
be  borne  with  them  till  Charles  should  demand  him  at 
their  hands  again. 

Charles  Returns 

With  all  speed  the  whole  army  retraced  their  steps, 
turning  their  faces  to  Spain,  and  saying  :  "  Ah,  if  we 
could  find  Roland  alive  what  blows  we  would  strike 
for  him  !  "  Alas  !  it  was  too  late  !  Too  late  ! 

How  lofty  are  the  peaks,  how  vast  and  shadowy  the 
mountains  !  How  dim  and  gloomy  the  passes,  how 
deep  the  valleys  !  How  swift  the  rushing  torrents  ! 
Yet  with  headlong  speed  the  Prankish  army  hastens 
back,  with  trumpets  sounding  in  token  of  approaching 
help,  all  praying  God  to  preserve  Roland  till  they  come. 
Alas !  they  cannot  reach  him  in  time  !  Too  late ! 
Too  late  1 
146 


ROLAND  FIGHTS  DESPERATELY 

Roland  Weeps  for  his  Comrades 

Now  Roland  cast  his  gaze  around  on  hill  and 
valley,  and  saw  his  noble  vassals  and  comrades  lie 
dead.  As  a  noble  knight  he  wept  for  them,  saying  : 

" '  Fair  Knights,  may  God  have  mercy  on  your  souls  I 
May  He  receive  you  into  Paradise 
And  grant  you  rest  on  banks  of  heavenly  flowers  ! 
Ne'er  have  I  known  such  mighty  men  as  you. 
Fair  France,  that  art  the  best  of  all  dear  lands, 
How  art  thou  widowed  of  thy  noble  sons  ! 
Through  me  alone,  dear  comrades,  have  you  died, 
And  yet  through  me  no  help  nor  safety  comes. 
God  have  you  in  His  keeping  !     Brother,  come, 
Let  us  attack  the  heathen  and  win  death, 
Or  grief  will  slay  me  !     Death  is  duty  now.' " 

He  Fights  Desperately 

So  saying,  he  rushed  into  the  battle,  slew  the  only  son 
of  King  Marsile,  and  drove  the  heathen  before  him  as 
the  hounds  drive  the  deer.  Turpin  saw  and  applauded. 
"  So  should  a  good  knight  do,  wearing  good  armour 
and  riding  a  good  steed.  He  must  deal  good  strong 
strokes  in  battle,  or  he  is  not  worth  a  groat.  Let  a 
coward  be  a  monk  in  some  cloister  and  pray  for  the 
sins  of  us  fighters." 

Marsile  in  wrath  attacked  the  slayer  of  his  son,  but 
in  vain  ;  Roland  struck  off  his  right  hand,  and  Marsile 
fled  back  mortally  wounded  to  Saragossa,  while  his 
main  host,  seized  with  panic,  left  the  field  to  Roland. 
However,  the  caliph,  Marsile's  uncle,  rallied  the  ranks, 
and,  with  fifty  thousand  Saracens,  once  more  came 
against  the  little  troop  of  Champions  of  the  Cross, 
the  three  poor  survivors  of  the  rearguard. 

Roland  cried  aloud  :  "  Now  shall  we  be  martyrs  for 

our  faith.     Fight  boldly,  lords,  for  life  or  death  !     Sell 

yourselves  dearly  !     Let  not  fair  France  be  dishonoured 

u  147 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

in  her  sons.     When  the  Emperor  sees  us  dead  with 
our  slain  foes  around  us  he  will  bless  our  valour." 

Oliver  Falls 

The  pagans  were  emboldened  by  the  sight  ot  the 
three  alone,  and  the  caliph,  rushing  at  Oliver,  pierced 
him  from  behind  with  his  lance.  But  though  mortally 
wounded  Oliver  retained  strength  enough  to  slay  the 
caliph,  and  to  cry  aloud:  "  Roland  !  Roland  !  Aid  me  !  " 
then  he  rushed  on  the  heathen  army,  doing  heroic  deeds 
and  shouting  "  Montjoie  1  Montjoie  !  "  while  the 
blood  ran  from  his  wound  and  stained  the  earth  blood- 
red.  At  this  woeful  sight  Roland  swooned  with  grief, 
and  Oliver,  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  and  with  eyes 
dimmed  by  fast-coming  death,  distinguished  not  the 
face  of  his  dear  friend  ;  he  saw  only  a  vague  figure 
drawing  near,  and,  mistaking  it  for  an  enemy,  raised  his 
sword  Hauteclaire  and  gave  Roland  one  last  terrible 
blow,  which  clove  the  helmet,  but  harmed  not  the  head. 
The  blow  roused  Roland  from  his  swoon,  and,  gazing 
tenderly  at  Oliver,  he  gently  asked  him  : 

" '  Comrade  and  brother,  was  that  blow  designed 
To  slay  your  Roland,  him  who  loves  you  so  ? 
There  is  no  vengeance  you  would  wreak  on  me.* 

*  Roland,  I  hear  you  speak,  but  see  you  not. 
God  guard  and  keep  you,  friend  ;  but  pardon  me 
The  blow  I  struck,  unwitting,  on  your  head.* 

*  I  have  no  hurt,'  said  Roland  ;  *  I  forgive 
Here  and  before  the  judgment-throne  of  God.'  " 

And  Dies 

Now  Oliver  felt  the  pains  of  death  come  upon  him. 
Both  sight  and  hearing  were  gone,  his  colour  fled,  and, 
dismounting,  he  lay  upon  the  earth  ;  there,  humbly 
confessing  his  sins,  he  begged  God  to  grant  him  rest 
in  Paradise,  to  bless  his  lord  Charlemagne  and  the  fair 
148 


"  Turpin  fell  forward  dying ; 


148 


CHARLES  ANSWERS  THE  HORN 
land  of  France,  and  to  keep  above  all  men  his  comrade 
Roland,  his  best-loved  brother-in-arms.  This  ended, 
he  fell  back,  his  heart  failed,  his  head  drooped  low,  and 
Oliver  the  brave  and  courteous  knight  lay  dead  on  the 
blood-stained  earth,  with  his  face  turned  to  the  east. 
Roland  lamented  him  in  gentle  words  :  "  Comrade,  alas 
for  thy  valour  !  Many  days  and  years  have  we  been 
comrades  :  no  ill  didst  thou  to  me,  nor  I  to  thee :  now 
thou  art  dead,  'tis  pity  that  I  live  !  " 

Turpin  is  Mortally  "Wounded.    The  Horn  Again 

Turpin  and  Roland  now  stood  together  for  a  time> 
and  were  joined  by  the  brave  Count  Gautier,  whose 
thousand  men  had  been  slain,  and  he  himself  grievously 
wounded  ;  he  now  came,  like  a  loyal  vassal,  to  die  with 
his  lord  Roland,  and  was  slain  in  the  first  discharge  of 
arrows  which  the  Saracens  shot.  Taught  by  experience, 
the  pagans  kept  their  distance,  and  wounded  Turpin 
with  four  lances,  while  they  stood  some  yards  away 
from  the  heroes.  But  when  Turpin  felt  himself 
mortally  wounded  he  plunged  into  the  throng  of  the 
heathen,  killing  four  hundred  before  he  fell,  and  Roland 
fought  on  with  broken  armour,  and  with  ever-bleeding 
head,  till  in  a  pause  of  the  deadly  strife  he  took  his 
horn  and  again  sent  forth  a  feeble  dying  blast. 

Charles  Answers  the  Horn 

Charlemagne  heard  it,  and  was  filled  with  anguish. 
"  Lords,  all  goes  ill  :  I  know  by  the  sound  of  Roland's 
horn  he  has  not  long  to  live  !  Ride  on  faster,  and  let 
all  our  trumpets  sound,  in  token  of  our  approach." 
Then  sixty  thousand  trumpets  sounded,  so  that 
mountains  echoed  it  and  valleys  replied,  and  the 
heathen  heard  it  and  trembled.  "It  is  Charlemagne  ! 
Charles  is  coming  !  "  they  cried.  "  If  Roland  lives  till 

H9 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

he  comes  the  war  will  begin  again,  and  our  bright 
Spain  is  lost/'  Thereupon  four  hundred  banded 
together  to  slay  Roland ;  but  he  rushed  upon  them, 
mounted  on  his  good  steed  Veillantif,  and  the  valiant 
pagans  fled.  But  while  Roland  dismounted  to  tend  the 
dying  archbishop  they  returned  and  cast  darts  from  afar, 
slaying  Veillantif,  the  faithful  war-horse,  and  piercing 
the  hero's  armour.  Still  nearer  and  nearer  sounded  the 
clarions  of  Charlemagne's  army  in  the  denies,  and  the 
Saracen  host  fled  for  ever,  leaving  Roland  alone,  on 
foot,  expiring,  amid  the  dying  and  the  dead. 

Turpin  Blesses  the  Dead 

Roland  made  his  way  to  Turpin,  unlaced  his  golden 
helmet,  took  oft  his  hauberk,  tore  his  own  tunic  to  bind 
up  his  grievous  wounds,  and  then  gently  raising  the 
prelate,  carried  him  to  the  fresh  green  grass,  where  he 
most  tenderly  laid  him  down. 

•**  Ah,  gentle  lord,'  said  Roland, '  give  me  leave 
To  carry  here  our  comrades  who  are  dead, 
Whom  we  so  dearly  loved  ;  they  must  not  lie 
Unblest ;  but  I  will  bring  their  corpses  here 
And  thou  shalt  bless  them,  and  me,  ere  thou  die.' 
'  Go,'  said  the  dying  priest,  *  but  soon  return. 
Thank  God  !  the  victory  is  yours  and  mine  ! '  " 

With  great  pain  and  many  delays  Roland  traversed 
the  field  of  slaughter,  looking  in  the  faces  of  the  dead, 
till  he  had  found  and  brought  to  Turpin's  feet  the 
bodies  of  the  eleven  Peers,  last  of  all  Oliver,  his  own 
dear  friend  and  brother,  and  Turpin  blessed  and  absolved 
them  all.  Now  Roland's  grief  was  so  deep  and  his 
weakness  so  great  that  he  swooned  where  he  stood, 
and  the  archbishop  saw  him  fall  and  heard  his  cry  of 
pain.  Slowly  and  painfully  Turpin  struggled  to  his 
feet,  and,  bending  over  Roland,  took  Olifant,  the 
150 


ROLAND'S  LAST  FIGHT 

curved  ivory  horn  ;  inch  by  inch  the  dying  archbishop 
tottered  towards  a  little  mountain  stream,  that  the  few 
drops  he  could  carry  might  revive  Roland. 

He  Dies 

However,  his  weakness  overcame  him  before  he 
reached  the  water,  and  he  fell  forward  dying.  Feebly 
he  made  his  confession,  painfully  he  joined  his  hands 
in  prayer,  and  as  he  prayed  his  spirit  fled.  Turpin, 
the  faithful  champion  of  the  Cross,  in  teaching  and  in 
battle,  died  in  the  service  of  Charlemagne.  May  God 
have  mercy  on  his  soul  ! 

When  Roland  awoke  from  his  swoon  he  looked  for 
Turpin,  and  found  him  dead,  and,  seeing  Olifant,  he 
guessed  what  the  archbishop's  aim  had  been,  and  wept 
for  pity.  Crossing  the  fair  white  hands  over  Turpin's 
breast,  he  sadly  prayed  : 

"  *  Alas  !  brave  priest,  fair  lord  of  noble  birth, 
Thy  soul  I  give  to  the  great  King  of  Heaven  ! 
No  mightier  champion  has  He  in  His  hosts, 
No  prophet  greater  to  maintain  the  Faith, 
No  teacher  mightier  to  convert  mankind 
Since  Christ's  Apostles  walked  upon  the  earth  ! 
May  thy  fair  soul  escape  the  pains  of  Hell 
And  Paradise  receive  thee  in  its  bowers  ! ' " 

Roland's  Last  Fight 

Now  death  was  very  near  to  Roland,  and  he  felt  it 
coming  upon  him  while  he  yet  prayed  and  commended 
himself  to  his  guardian  angel  Gabriel.  Taking  in  one 
hand  Olifant,  and  in  the  other  his  good  sword  Durendala, 
Roland  climbed  a  little  hill,  one  bowshot  within  the 
realm  of  Spain.  There  under  two  pine-trees  he  found 
four  marble  steps,  and  as  he  was  about  to  climb  them, 
fell  swooning  on  the  grass  very  near  his  end.  A  lurking 
Saracen,  who  had  feigned  death,  stole  from  his  covert, 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
and,  calling  aloud,  "  Charles's  nephew  is  vanquished ! 
I  will  bear  his  sword  back  to  Arabia,"  seized  Durendala 
as  it  lay  in  Roland's  dying  clasp.  The  attempt  roused 
Roland,  and  he  opened  his  eyes,  saying,  "  Thou  art  not 
of  us,"  then  struck  such  a  blow  with  Olifant  on  the 
helm  of  the  heathen  thief  that  he  fell  dead  before  his 
intended  victim. 

He  Tries  to  Break  his  Sword 

Pale,  bleeding,  dying,  Roland  struggled  to  his  feet, 
bent  on  saving  his  good  blade  from  the  defilement  ot 
heathen  hands.  He  grasped  Durendala,  and  the  brown 
marble  before  him  split  beneath  his  mighty  blows  ;  but 
the  good  sword  stood  firm,  the  steel  grated  but  did  not 
break,  and  Roland  lamented  aloud  that  his  famous 
sword  must  now  become  the  weapon  of  a  lesser  man. 
Again  Roland  smote  with  Durendala,  and  clove  the 
block  of  sardonyx,  but  the  good  steel  only  grated  and 
did  not  break,  and  the  hero  bewailed  himself  aloud, 
saying,  "  Alas  !  my  good  Durendala,  how  bright  and 
pure  thou  art  !  How  thou  flamest  in  the  sunbeams, 
as  when  the  angel  brought  thee  !  How  many  lands 
hast  thou  conquered  for  Charles  my  King,  how  many 
champions  slain,  how  many  heathen  converted ! 
Must  I  now  leave  thee  to  the  pagans  ?  May  God 
spare  fair  France  this  shame  !  "  A  third  time  Roland 
raised  the  sword  and  struck  a  rock  of  blue  marble,  which 
split  asunder,  but  the  steel  only  grated — it  would  not 
break  ;  and  the  hero  knew  that  he  could  do  no  more. 

His  Last  Prayer 

Then  he  flung  himself  on  the  ground  under  a  pine- 
tree  with  his  face  to  the  earth,  his  sword  and  Olifant 
beneath  him,  his  face  to  the  foe,  that  Charlemagne  and 
the  Franks  might  see  when  they  came  that  he  died 
15* 


"Under  the  trees  lay  the  body  of  Roland"  152 


CHARLES  ARRIVES 

victorious.  He  made  his  confession,  prayed  for  mercy, 
and  offered  to  Heaven  his  glove,  in  token  of  submission 
for  all  his  sins.  "  Me  a  culpa  !  O  God  !  I  pray  for 
pardon  for  all  my  sins,  both  great  and  small,  that  I 
have  sinned  from  my  birth  until  this  day."  So  he  held 
up  towards  Heaven  his  right-hand  glove,  and  the 
angels  of  God  descended  around  him.  Again  Roland 
prayed  : 

"  *  O  very  Father,  who  didst  never  lie, 
Didst  bring  St.  Lazarus  from  the  dead  again, 
Didst  save  St.  Daniel  from  the  lion's  mouth, 
Save  Thou  my  soul  and  keep  it  from  all  ills 
That  I  have  merited  by  all  my  sins  ! ' " 

He  Dies 

Again  he  held  up  to  Heaven  his  glove,  and  St. 
Gabriel  received  it  ;  then,  with  head  bowed  and 
hands  clasped,  the  hero  died,  and  the  waiting  cherubim, 
St.  Raphael,  St.  Michael,  and  St.  Gabriel,  bore  his  soul 
to  Paradise. 

So  died  Roland  and  the  Peers  of  France. 

Charles  Arrives 

Soon  after  Roland's  heroic  spirit  had  passed  away 
the  emperor  came  galloping  out  of  the  mountains  into 
the  valley  of  Roncesvalles,  where  not  a  foot  of  ground 
was  without  its  burden  of  death. 

Loudly  he  called  :  "  Fair  nephew,  where  art  thou  ? 
Where  is  the  archbishop  ?  And  Count  Oliver  ? 
Where  are  the  Peers  ? " 

Alas  !  of  what  avail  was  it  to  call  ?  No  man  replied, 
for  all  were  dead  ;  and  Charlemagne  wrung  his  hands, 
and  tore  his  beard  and  wept,  and  his  army  bewailed 
their  slain  comrades,  and  all  men  thought  of  vengeance. 
Truly  a  fearful  vengeance  did  Charles  take,  in  that 
terrible  battle  which  he  fought  the  next  day  against  the 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Emir  of  Babylon,  come  from  oversea  to  help  his  vassal 
Marsile,  when  the  sun  stood  still  in  heaven  that  the 
Christians  might  be  avenged  on  their  enemies  ;  in  the 
capture  of  Saragossa  and  the  death  of  Marsile,  who, 
already  mortally  wounded,  turned  his  face  to  the  wall 
and  died  when  he  heard  of  the  defeat  of  the  emir  ; 
but  when  vengeance  was  taken  on  the  open  enemy 
Charlemagne  thought  of  mourning,  and  returned  to 
Roncesvalles  to  seek  the  body  of  his  beloved  nephew. 

The  emperor  knew  well  that  Roland  would  be  found 
before  his  men,  with  his  face  to  the  foe.  Thus  he 
advanced  a  bowshot  from  his  companions  and  climbed 
a  little  hill,  there  found  the  little  flowery  meadow 
stained  red  with  the  blood  of  his  barons,  and  there  at 
the  summit,  under  the  trees,  lay  the  body  of  Roland 
on  the  green  grass.  The  broken  blocks  of  marble  bore 
traces  of  the  hero's  dying  efforts,  and  Charlemagne 
raised  Roland,  and,  clasping  the  hero  in  his  arms, 
lamented  over  him. 

His  Lament 

"  *  The  Lord  have  mercy,  Roland,  on  thy  soul  ! 
Never  again  shall  our  fair  France  behold 
A  knight  so  worthy,  till  France  be  no  more  ! 

"  *  The  Lord  have  mercy,  Roland,  on  thy  soul ! 
That  thou  mayest  rest  in  flowers  of  Paradise 
With  all  His  glorious  Saints  for  evermore  ! 
My  honour  now  will  lessen  and  decay, 
My  days  be  spent  in  grief  for  lack  of  thee, 
My  joy  and  power  will  vanish.     There  is  none, 
Comrade  or  kinsman,  to  maintain  my  cause. 

"  *  The  Lord  have  mercy,  Roland,  on  thy  soul ! 
And  grant  thee  place  in  Paradise  the  blest, 
Thou  valiant  youth,  thou  mighty  conqueror  < 
How  widowed  lies  our  fair  France  and  how  lone 
How  will  the  realms  that  I  have  swayed  rebel 
Now  thou  art  taken  from  my  weary  age  1 
'54 


Aude  the  Fair 
Evelyn  Paul 


154 


THE  TRAITOR  PUT  TO  DEATH 

So  deep  my  woe  that  fain  would  I  die  too 

And  join  my  valiant  Peers  in  Paradise 

While  men  inter  my  weary  limbs  with  thine  ! '  "  * 

The  Dead  Buried 

The  French  army  buried  the  dead  with  all  honour, 
where  they  had  fallen,  except  the  bodies  of  Roland, 
Oliver,  and  Turpin,  which  were  carried  to  Blaye,  and 
interred  in  the  great  cathedral  there  ;  and  then  Charle- 
magne returned  to  Aix. 

Aude  the  Fair 

As  Charles  the  Great  entered  his  palace  a  beauteous 
maiden  met  him,  Aude  the  Fair,  the  sister  of  Oliver  and 
betrothed  bride  of  Roland.  She  asked  eagerly  : 

"  Where  is  Roland  the  mighty  captain,  who  swore  to 
take  me  for  his  bride  ?  " 

"Alas  !  dear  sister  and  friend,"  said  Charlemagne, 
weeping  and  tearing  his  long  white  beard,  "  thou  askest 
tidings  of  the  dead.  But  I  will  replace  him  :  thou 
shalt  have  Louis,  my  son,  Count  of  the  Marches." 

"These  words  are  strange,"  exclaimed  Aude  the 
Fair.  "  God  and  all  His  saints  and  angels  forbid  that 
I  should  live  when  Roland  my  love  is  dead."  There- 
upon she  lost  her  colour  and  fell  at  the  emperor's 
feet ;  he  thought  her  fainting,  but  she  was  dead.  God 
have  mercy  on  her  soul  ! 

The  Traitor  Put  to  Death 

Too  long  it  would  be  to  tell  of  the  trial  of  Ganelon 
the  traitor.  Suffice  it  that  he  was  torn  asunder  by  wild 
horses,  and  his  name  remains  in  France  a  byword  for 
all  disloyalty  and  treachery. 

1  The  poetioal  quotations  are  from  the  "  Chanson  dc  Roland." 


CHAPTER  VIII :  THE  COUNTESS 
CATHLEEN 

Celtic  Mysticism 

IN  all  Celtic  literature  there  is  recognisable  a  certain 
spirit  which  seems  to  be  innate  in  the  very  cha- 
racter of  the  people,  a  spirit  of  mysticism  and 
acknowledgment  of  the  supernatural.  It  carries  with 
it  a  love  of  Nature,  a  delight  in  beauty,  colour  and 
harmony,  which  is  common  to  all  the  Celtic  races.  But 
with  these  characteristics  we  find  in  Ireland  a  spiritual 
beauty,  a  passion  of  self-sacrifice,  unknown  in  Wales  or 
Brittany.  Hence  the  early  Irish  heroes  are  frequently- 
found  renouncing  advantages,  worldly  honour,  and  life 
itself,  at  the  bidding  of  some  imperative  moral  impulse. 
They  are  the  knights-errant  of  early  European  chivalry, 
which  was  a  much  deeper  and  more  real  inspiration 
than  the  carefully  cultivated  artificial  chivalry  of  cen- 
turies later.  Cuchulain,  Diarmuit,  Naesi  all  pay  with 
their  lives  for  their  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  honour 
and  conscience.  And  in  women,  for  whom  in  those 
early  days  sacrifice  of  self  was  the  only  way  of  heroism, 
the  surrender  even  of  eternal  bliss  was  only  the  sublima- 
tion of  honour  and  chivalry  ;  and  this  was  the  heroism 
of  the  Countess  Cathleen. 

The  Cathleen  Legend 

The  legend  is  old,  so  old  that  its  root  has  been  lost 
and  we  know  not  who  first  imagined  it ;  but  the  idea, 
the  central  incident,  doubtless  goes  back  to  Druid 
times,  when  a  woman  might  well  have  offered  herself 
up  to  the  cruel  gods  to  avert  their  wrath  and  stay  the 
plagues  which  fell  upon  her  people.  Under  a  like  im- 
pulse Curtius  sprang  into  the  gulf  in  the  Forum,  and 
Decius  devoted  himself  to  death  to  win  the  safety  of 
156 


HAPPY  IRELAND 

the  Roman  army.  In  each  case  the  powers,  evil  or 
beneficent,  were  supposed  to  be  appeased  by  the  offer- 
ing of  a  human  life.  When  Christianity  found  this 
legend  of  sacrifice  popular  among  the  heathen  nations, 
it  was  comparatively  easy  to  adopt  it  and  give  it  a  yet 
wider  scope,  by  making  the  sacrifice  spiritual  rather 
than  physical,  and  by  finally  rewarding  the  hero  with 
heavenly  joys.  It  is  to  be  noted,  too,  that  even  at  this 
early  period  there  is  a  certain  glorification  of  chicanery  : 
the  fiend  fulfils  his  side  of  the  contract,  but  God  Him- 
self breaks  the  other  side.  This  becomes  a  regular 
feature  in  all  tales  that  relate  dealings  with  the  Evil 
One  :  all  Devil's  Bridges,  Devil's  Dykes,  and  the 
Faust  legends  show  that  Satan  may  be  trusted  to  keep 
his  word,  while  the  saints  invariably  kept  the  letter  and 
broke  the  spirit.  To  so  primitive  a  tale  as  that  of 
"  The  Countess  Cathleen  "  the  pettifogging  quibbles  of 
later  saints  are  utterly  unknown  :  God  saves  her  soul 
because  it  is  His  will  to  reward  such  abnegation  of  self, 
and  even  the  Evil  One  dare  not  question  the  Divine  Will. 

The  Story.    Happy  Ireland 

Once,  long  ago,  as  the  Chronicles  tell  us,  Ireland 
was  known  throughout  Europe  as  "  The  Isle  of  Saints," 
for  St.  Patrick  had  not  long  before  preached  the  Gos- 
pel, the  message  of  good  tidings,  to  the  warring  inhabit- 
ants, to  tribes  of  uncivilised  Celts,  and  to  marauding 
Danes  and  Vikings.  He  had  driven  out  the  serpent- 
worshippers,  and  consecrated  the  Black  Stone  of  Tara 
to  the  worship  of  the  True  God  ;  he  had  convinced  the 
High  King  of  the  truth  and  reasonableness  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity  by  the  illustration  of  the  shamrock 
leaf,  and  had  overthrown  the  great  idols  and  purified 
the  land.  Therefore  the  fair  shores  and  fertile  vales  of 
Erin,  the  clustered  islets,  dropped  like  jewels  in  the 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

azure  seas,  the  mist-covered,  heather-clad  hill-sides,  even 
the  barren  mountain-tops  and  the  patches  of  firm 
ground  scattered  in  the  solitudes  of  fathomless  bogs, 
were  homes  of  pious  Culdee  or  lonely  hermit.  There 
was  still  strife  in  Ireland,  for  king  fought  with  king,  and 
heathen  marauders  still  vexed  the  land  ;  but  many  war- 
like Irish  clans  or  "  septs  "  turned  their  ardour  for  fight 
to  religious  conflicts,  and  often  every  man  of  a  tribe  be- 
came a  monk,  so  that  great  abbeys  and  tribal  monas- 
teries and  schools  were  built  on  the  hills  where,  in 
former  days,  stood  the  chieftain's  stronghold  (rath  or 
dun,  as  Irish  legends  name  it),  with  its  earth  mounds  and 
wooden  palisades.  Holy  psalms  and  chants  replaced 
the  boastful  songs  of  the  old  bards,  whilst  warriors, 
accustomed  to  regard  fighting  and  hunting  as  the  only 
occupations  worthy  of  a  freeborn  man,  now  peacefully 
illuminated  manuscripts  or  wrought  at  useful  handi- 
crafts. Yet  still  in  secret  they  dreaded  and  tried  to 
appease  the  wrath  of  the  Dagda,  Brigit  of  the  Holy 
Fire,  ^ngus  the  Ever- Young,  and  the  awful  Washers  ot 
the  Ford,  the  Choosers  of  the  Slain  ;  and  to  this  dread 
was  now  joined  the  new  fear  of  the  cruel  demons  who 
obeyed  Satan,  the  Prince  of  Evil. 

The  Young  Countess 

At  this  time  there  dwelt  in  Ireland  the  Countess 
Cathleen,  young,  good,  and  beautiful.  Her  eyes  were 
as  deep,  as  changeful,  and  as  pure  as  the  ocean  that 
washed  Erin's  shores  ;  her  yellow  hair,  braided  in  two 
long  tresses,  was  as  bright  as  the  golden  circlet  on  her 
brow  or  the  yellow  corn  in  her  garners  ;  and  her  step 
was  as  light  and  proud  and  free  as  that  of  the  deer  in 
her  wide  domains.  She  lived  in  a  stately  castle  in  the 
midst  of  great  forests,  with  the  cottages  of  her  tribes- 
men around  her  gates,  and  day  by  day  and  year  by 
158 


DEARTH  AND  FAMINE 

year  she  watched  the  changing  glories  of  the  mighty 
woods,  as  the  seasons  brought  new  beauties,  till  her 
soul  was  as  lovely  as  the  green  woods  and  purple 
hills  around.  The  Countess  Cathleen  loved  the  dim, 
mysterious  forest,  she  loved  the  tales  of  the  ancient 
gods,  and  of 

"  Old,  unhappy,  far-off  things, 
And  battles  long  ago  ;  " 

Wordsworth. 

but  more  than  all  she  loved  her  clansmen  and  vassals  : 
she  prayed  for  them  at  all  the  holy  hours,  and  taught 
and  tended  them  with  loving  care,  so  that  in  no  place  in 
Ireland  could  be  found  a  happier  tribe  than  that  which 
obeyed  her  gentle  rule. 

Dearth  and  Famine 

One  year  there  fell  upon  Ireland,  erewhile  so  happy 
a  great  desolation — "  For  Scripture  saith,  an  ending  to 
all  good  things  must  be  "  * — and  the  happiness  of  the 
Countess  Cathleen's  tribe  came  to  an  end  in  this  wise  : 
A  terrible  famine  fell  on  the  land  ;  the  seed-corn  rotted 
in  the  ground,  for  rain  and  never-lifting  mists  filled 
the  heavy  air  and  lay  on  the  sodden  earth  ;  then  when 
spring  came  barren  fields  lay  brown  where  the  shooting 
corn  should  be  ;  the  cattle  died  in  the  stall  or  fell  from 
weakness  at  the  plough,  and  the  sheep  died  of  hunger 
in  the  fold ;  as  the  year  passed  through  summer 
towards  autumn  the  berries  failed  in  the  sun-parched 
woods,  and  the  withered  leaves,  fallen  long  before  the 
time,  lay  rotting  on  the  dank  earth  ;  the  timid  wild 
things  of  the  forest,  hares,  rabbits,  squirrels,  died  in 
their  holes  or  fell  easy  victims  to  the  birds  and  beasts 
of  prey  ;  and  these,  in  their  turn,  died  of  hunger  in  the 
famine-stricken  forests. 

1  C.  Kingtley. 

«59 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"  I  searched  all  day  :  the  mice  and  rats  and  hedgehogs 
Seemed  to  be  dead,  and  I  could  hardly  hear 
A  wing  moving  in  all  the  famished  woods."  1 

Distress  of  the  Peasants 

A  cry  of  bitter  agony  and  lamentation  rose  from  the 
starving  Isle  of  Saints  to  the  gates  of  Heaven,  and  fell 
back  unheard  ;  the  sky  was  hard  as  brass  above,  and 
the  earth  was  barren  beneath,  and  men  and  women 
died  in  despair,  their  shrivelled  lips  still  stained  green 
by  the  dried  grass  and  twigs  they  had  striven  to  eat. 

"  I  passed  by  Margaret  Nolan's  :  for  nine  days 
Her  mouth  was  green  with  dock  and  dandelion'; 
And  now  they  wake  her." 

The  Misery  Increases 

In  vain  the  High  King  of  Ireland  proclaimed  a 
universal  peace,  and  wars  between  quarrelling  tribes 
stopped  and  foreign  pirates  ceased  to  molest  the  land, 
and  chief  met  chief  in  the  common  bond  of  misery  ; 
in  vain  the  rich  gave  freely  of  their  wealth — soon  there 
was  no  distinction  between  rich  and  poor,  high  and  low, 
chief  and  vassal,  for  all  alike  felt  the  grip  of  famine,  all 
died  by  the  same  terrible  hunger.  Soon  many  of  the 
great  monasteries  lay  desolate,  their  stores  exhausted, 
their  portals  open,  while  the  brethren,  dead  within,  had 
none  to  bury  them  ;  the  lonely  hermits  died  in  their 
little  beehive-shaped  cells,  or  fled  from  the  dreadful 
solitude  to  gather  in  some  wealthy  abbey  which  could 
still  feed  its  monks  ;  and  isle  and  vale  which  had 
echoed  their  holy  chants  knew  the  sounds  no  more. 
Over  all,  unlifting,  unchanging,  brooded  the  deadly 
vapour,  bearing  the  plague  in  its  heavy  folds,  and 
filling  the  air  with  a  sultry  lurid  haze. 

1  The  poetical  quotations  throughout  this  story  are  taken,  by 
permission,  from  Mr.  W.  B.  Yeats's  play  "  The  Countess  Cathleen." 
1 60 


CATHLEEN'S  WIDE  CHARITY 

"  There  is  no  sign  of  change— day  copies  day, 
Green  things  are  dead — the  cattle  too  are  dead 
Or  dying — and  on  all  the  vapour  hangs 
And  fattens  with  disease,  and  glows  with  heat." 

Cathleen  Heartbroken  for  her  People 

Round  the  castle  of  the  Countess  Cathleen  there  was 
great  stir  and  bustle,  for  her  tender  heart  was  wrung 
with  the  misery  of  her  people,  and  her  prayers  for  them 
ascended  to  God  unceasingly.  So  thin  she  grew  and  so 
worn  that  the  physicians  bade  her  servants  bring  harp 
and  song  to  charm  away  the  sadness  that  weighed  upon 
her  spirit ;  but  all  in  vain  !  Neither  the  well-loved 
legends  of  the  ancient  gods,  nor  her  harp,  nor  the  voice 
of  her  bards  could  bring  her  relief — nothing  but  the 
attempt  to  save  her  people.  From  the  earliest  days  of 
the  famine  her  house  and  her  stores  were  ever  ready  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  homeless,  the  poor,  the  suffer- 
ing ;  her  wealth  was  freely  spent  for  food  for  the 
starving  while  supplies  could  yet  be  bought  either  near 
or  in  distant  baronies  ;  and  when  known  supplies  failed 
her  lavish  offers  tempted  the  churlish  farmers,  who  still 
hoarded  grain  that  they  might  enrich  themselves  in  the 
great  dearth,  to  sell  some  of  their  garnered  stores. 
When  she  could  no  longer  induce  them  to  part  with 
their  grain,  her  own  winter  provisions,  wine  and  corn, 
were  distributed  generously  to  all  who  asked  for  relief, 
and  none  ever  left  her  castle  without  succour. 

Her  Wide  Charity 

Thus  passed  the  early  months  of  bitter  starvation, 
and  the  Countess  Cathleen's  name  was  borne  far  and 
wide  through  Ireland,  accompanied  with  the  blessings 
of  all  the  rescued  ;  and  round  her  castle,  from  every 
district,  gathered  a  mighty  throng  of  poor — not  only  her 
own  clansmen — who  all  looked  to  her  for  a  daily  dole  of 

161 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
fojd  and  drink  to  keep  some  life  in  them  until  the 
pestilential  mists  should  pass  away.  The  wholesome 
cold  of  winter  would  purify  the  air  and  bring  new  hope 
and  promise  of  new  life  in  the  coming  year.  Alas  ! 
the  winter  drew  on  apace  and  still  the  poisonous 
yellow  vapours  hung  heavily  over  the  land,  and  still  the 
deadly  famine  clutched  each  feeble  heart  and  weakened 
the  very  springs  of  life,  and  the  winter  frosts  slew  more 
than  the  summer  heats,  so  feeble  were  the  people  and  so 
weakened. 

Lawlessness  Breaks  Out 

At  last,  even  in  the  Isle  of  Saints,  the  bonds  of  right 
and  wrong  were  loosened,  all  respect  for  property 
vanished  in  the  universal  desolation,  and  men  began  to 
rob  and  plunder,  to  trust  only  to  the  right  of  might, 
thinking  that  their  poor  miserable  lives  were  of  more 
value  than  aught  else,  than  conscience  and  pity  and 
honesty.  Thus  Cathleen  lost  by  barefaced  robbery 
much  of  what  she  still  possessed  of  flocks  and  herds,  or 
scanty  fruit  and  corn.  Her  servants  would  gladly  have 
pursued  the  robbers  and  regained  the  spoils,  but  Cath- 
leen forbade  it,  for  she  pitied  the  miserable  thieves,  and 
thought  no  evil  of  them  in  this  bitter  dearth.  By  this 
time  she  had  distributed  all  her  winter  stores,  and  had 
only  enough  to  feed  her  poor  pensioners  and  her  house- 
hold with  most  scanty  rations  ;  and  she  herself  shared 
equally  with  them,  for  the  most  earnest  entreaties  of  her 
faithful  servants  could  not  induce  her  to  fare  better  than 
they  in  anything.  Soon  there  would  be  nothing  left  for 
daily  distribution,  and  her  heart  almost  broke  as  she  saw 
the  misery  of  her  helpless  dependents  ;  they  looked  to 
her  as  an  angel  of  pity  and  deliverance,  while  she  knew 
herself  to  be  as  helpless  as  they.  Day  by  day  Cathleen 
went  among  them,  with  her  pitifully  scanty  doles  of 
162 


"  Day  by  day  Cathleen  went  among  them  "  162 


CATHLEEN  HAS  AN  INSPIRATION 

food,  cheering  them  by  her  words  and  smiles,  and  by 
her  very  presence  ;  and  each  day  she  went  to  her  chapel, 
where  she  could  cast  aside  the  mask  of  cheerfulness 
she  wore  before  her  people,  and  prayed  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Maiy  and  all  the  saints  to  show  her  how  to  save 
her  own  tribe  and  all  the  land. 

Cathleen  Has  an  Inspiration 

As  the  Countess  knelt  long  before  the  altar  one  noon- 
tide she  passed  from  her  prayers  into  a  deep  sleep,  and 
sank  down  on  the  altar  steps.  In  the  troubled  depths 
of  her  mind  a  thought  arose,  which  came  to  her  as  an 
inspiration  from  Heaven  itself.  She  awoke  and  sprang 
up  joyfully,  exclaiming  aloud  :  "Thanks  be  to  Our  Lady 
and  to  all  the  saints  !  To  them  alone  the  blessed 
thought  is  due.  Thus  can  I  save  my  poor  until  the 
dearth  is  over." 

Then  Cathleen  left  her  oratory  with  such  a  light 
heart  as  she  had  not  felt  since  the  terrible  visitation 
began,  and  the  gladness  in  her  face  was  so  new  and 
wonderful  that  all  her  servants  noticed  the  change,  and 
her  old  foster-mother,  who  loved  the  Countess  with  the 
utmost  devotion,  shuddered  at  the  thought  that  perhaps 
her  darling  had  come  under  the  power  of  the  ancient 
gods  and  would  be  bewitched  away  to  Tir-nan-og, 
the  land  of  never-dying  youth.  Fearfully  old  Oona 
watched  Cathleen's  face  as  she  passed  through  the  hall, 
and  Cathleen  saw  the  anxious  gaze,  and  came  and  laid 
her  hand  on  the  old  woman's  shoulder,  saying,  "Nay, 
fear  not,  nurse  ;  the  saints  have  heard  my  prayer  and 
put  it  into  my  heart  to  save  all  these  helpless  ones." 
Then  she  crossed  the  hall  to  her  own  room,  and  called 
a  servant,  saying,  "  Send  hither  quickly  Fergus  my 
steward." 

«  163 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

She  Summons  her  Steward 

Shortly  afterwards  the  steward  came,  Fergus  the 
White,  an  old  grey-haired  man,  who  had  been  foster- 
brother  to  Cathleen's  grandfather.  He  had  seen  three 
generations  pass  away,  he  had  watched  the  change  from 
heathenism  to  Christianity,  and  of  all  the  chief's  family, 
to  which  his  loyal  devotion  had  ever  clung,  there  re- 
mained but  this  one  young  girl,  and  he  loved  her  as 
his  own  child.  Fergus  did  obeisance  to  his  liege  lady, 
and  kissed  her  hand  kneeling  as  he  asked  : 

"What  would  the  Countess  Cathleen  with  her 
steward  ?  Shall  I  render  my  account  of  lands  and 
wealth  ?  " 

Demands  to  Know  what  Wealth  she  Owns 

"  How  much  have  I  in  lands  ? "  the  Countess  asked. 
And  Fergus  answered  in  surprise :  "Your  lands  are 
worth  one  hundred  thousand  pounds." 

"  Of  what  value  is  the  timber  in  my  forests  ?  "  "  As 
much  again." 

"What  is  the  worth  of  my  castles  and  my  fair 
residences  ?  "  continued  the  Countess  Cathleen.  And 
Fergus  still  replied  :  "  As  much  more,"  though  in  his 
heart  he  questioned  why  his  lady  wished  to  know  now, 
while  the  famine  made  all  riches  seem  valueless. 

"  How  much  gold  still  unspent  lies  in  thy  charge  in 
my  treasure-chests  ?  " 

"  Lady,  your  stored  gold  is  three  hundred  thousand 
pounds,  as  much  as  all  your  lands  and  forests  and 
nouses  are  worth." 

The  Countess  Cathleen  thought  for  an  instant,  and 
then,  as  one  who  makes  a  momentous  decision,  spoke 
firmly,  though  her  lips  quivered  as  she  gave  utterance 
to  her  thought  : 
164 


THE  STEWARD  RELUCTANTLY  OBEYS 

"Go  Far  and  Buy  Food" 

"  Then,  Fergus,  take  my  bags  of  coin  and  go.  Leave 
here  my  jewels  and  some  gold,  for  I  may  hear  of  some 
stores  of  grain  hoarded  by  niggard  farmers,  and  may 
induce  them  to  sell,  if  not  for  the  love  of  God,  then 
for  the  love  of  gold.  Take,  too,  authority  from  me, 
written  and  sealed  with  my  seal,  to  sell  all  my  lands  and 
timber,  and  castles,  except  this  one  alone  where  I  must 
dwell.  Send  a  man,  trustworthy  and  speedy,  to  the 
North,  to  Ulster,  where  I  hear  the  famine  is  less  terrible, 
and  let  him  buy  what  cattle  he  can  find,  and  drive  them 
back  as  soon  as  may  be." 

"  Keeping  this  house  alone,  sell  all  I  have  ; 
Go  to  some  distant  country,  and  come  again 
With  many  herds  of  cows  and  ships  of  grain." 

The  Steward  Reluctantly  Obeys 

The  ancient  steward,  Fergus  the  White,  stood  at  first 
speechless  with  horror  and  grief,  but  after  a  moment  of 
silence  his  sorrow  found  vent  in  words,  and  he  besought 
his  dear  lady  not  to  sell  everything,  her  ancient  home, 
her  father's  lands,  her  treasured  heirlooms,  and  leave 
herself  no  wealth  for  happier  times.  All  his  persuasions 
were  useless,  for  Cathleen  would  not  be  moved  ;  she 
bade  him  "  Farewell  "  and  hastened  his  journey,  saying, 
"  A  cry  is  in  mine  ears  ;  I  cannot  rest."  So  there  was 
no  help  for  it.  A  trusty  man  was  despatched  to  Ulster 
to  buy  up  all  the  cattle  (weak  and  famine-stricken  as 
they  would  be)  in  the  North  Country ;  while  Fergus 
himself  journeyed  swiftly  to  England,  which  was  still 
prosperous  and  fertile,  untouched  by  the  deadly  famine, 
and  knowing  nothing  of  the  desolation  of  the  sister  isle, 
to  which  the  English  owed  so  much  of  their  knowledge 
of  the  True  Faith. 

165 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Buys  Stores  in  England 

In  England  Fergus  spent  all  the  gold  he  brought 
with  him,  and  then  sold  all  the  Countess  Cathleen  bade 
him  sell — lands,  castles,  forests,  pastures,  timber — all 
but  one  lonely  castle  in  the  desolate  woods,  where  she 
dwelt  among  her  own  people,  with  the  dying  folk 
thronging  round  her  gates  and  in  her  halls.  Good 
bargains  Fergus  made  also,  for  he  was  a  shrewd  and 
loyal  steward,  and  the  saints  must  have  touched  the 
hearts  of  the  English  merchants,  so  that  they  gave 
good  prices  for  all,  or  perhaps  they  did  not  realize  the 
dire  distress  that  prevailed  in  Ireland.  However  that 
may  have  been,  Fergus  prospered  in  his  trading,  and 
bought  grain,  and  wine,  and  fat  oxen  and  sheep,  so  that 
he  loaded  many  ships  with  full  freights  of  provisions, 
enough  to  carry  the  starving  peasantry  through  the 
famine  year  till  the  next  harvest.  At  last  all  his  money 
was  spent,  all  his  ships  were  laden,  everything  was 
ready,  and  the  little  fleet  lay  in  harbour,  only  awaiting 
a  fair  wind,  which,  unhappily,  did  not  come. 

His  Return  Delayed 

First  of  all  Fergus  waited  through  a  deadly  calm, 
when  the  sails  hung  motionless,  drooping,  with  no 
breath  of  air  to  stir  them,  when  the  fog  that  brooded 
over  the  shores  of  England  never  lifted  and  all  sail- 
ing was  impossible  ;  then  the  winds  dispersed  the  fog, 
and  Fergus,  forgetting  caution  in  his  great  anxiety  to 
return,  hastily  set  sail  for  his  own  land,  and  there  came 
fierce  tempests  and  contrary  winds,  so  that  his  little 
fleet  was  driven  back,  and  one  or  two  ships  went  down 
with  all  their  stores  of  food.  Fergus  wept  to  see  his 
lady's  wealth  lost  in  the  wintry  sea,  but  he  dared  not 
venture  again,  and  though  he  chafed  and  fretted  at 
1 66 


TWO  MYSTERIOUS  STRANGERS 

the  delay,  it  was  nearly  two  months  after  he  reached 
England  before  he  could  sail  back  to  his  young  mistress 
and  her  starving  countrymen.  The  trusty  messenger 
who  had  been  sent  to  buy  cattle  had  succeeded  beyond 
his  own  expectation  ;  he  also  had  made  successful 
bargains,  and  had  found  more  cattle  than'  he  believed 
were  still  alive  in  Ireland.  He  had  bought  all,  and  was 
driving  them  slowly  towards  the  Countess  Cathleen's 
forest  dwelling.  Their  progress  was  so  slow,  because  of 
their  weakness  and  the  scanty  fodder  by  the  way,  that 
no  news  of  them  came  to  Cathleen,  and  she  knew  not 
that  while  corn  and  cattle  were  coming  with  Fergus 
across  the  sea,  food  was  also  coming  to  her  slowly 
through  the  barren  ways  of  her  own  native  land.  None 
of  this  she  knew,  and  despair  would  have  filled  her 
heart,  but  for  her  faith  in  God  and  her  belief  in  the 
great  inspiration  that  had  been  given  to  her. 

Deepening  Misery  in  Ireland 

Meanwhile  terrible  things  had  been  happening  in 
Ireland.  As  in  England  in  later  days,  "  men  said  openly 
that  Christ  and  His  saints  slept";  they  thought  with 
longing  of  the  mighty  old  gods,  for  the  new  seemed 
powerless,  and  they  yearned  for  the  friendly  "good 
people  "  who  had  fled  from  the  sound  of  the  church 
bell.  Thus  many  minds  were  ready  to  revolt  from  the 
Christian  faith  if  they  had  not  feared  the  life  after  death 
and  the  endless  torments  of  the  Christian  Hell.  Some 
few,  desperate,  even  offered  secret  worship  to  the  old 
heathen  gods,  and  true  love  to  the  One  True  God  had 
grown  cold. 

Two  Mysterious  Strangers 

Now  on  the  very  day  on  which  Fergus  sailed  for  Eng- 
land, and  his  comrade  departed  to  Ulster,  two  mysterious 

167 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

and  stately  strangers  suddenly  appeared  in  Erin.  Whence 
they  came  no  man  knew,  but  they  were  first  seen  near 
the  wild  seashore  of  the  west,  and  the  few  poor  in- 
habitants thought  they  had  been  put  ashore  by  some 
vessel  or  wrecked  on  that  dangerous  coast.  Aliens  they 
certainly  were,  for  they  talked  with  each  other  in  a 
tongue  that  none  understood,  and  they  appeared  as  if 
they  did  not  comprehend  the  questions  asked  of  them. 
Thus  they  passed  away  from  the  western  coasts,  and 
made  their  way  inland  ;  but  when  they  next  appeared, 
in  a  village  not  far  from  Dublin,  they  had  greatly 
changed  :  they  wore  magnificent  robes  and  furs,  with 
splendid  jewelled  gloves  on  their  hands,  and  golden 
circlets,  set  with  gleaming  rubies,  bound  their  brows  ; 
their  black  steeds  showed  no  trace  of  weakness  and 
famine  as  they  rode  through  the  woods  and  carefully 
noted  the  misery  everywhere. 

Their  Strange  Story 

At  last  they  alighted  at  the  little  lodge,  where  a 
forester's  widow  gladly  received  them  ;  and  their  royal 
dress,  lofty  bearing  and  strange  language  accorded  ill 
with  the  mean  surroundings  and  the  scanty  accom- 
modation of  that  little  hut.  The  dead  forester  had 
been  one  of  the  Countess  Cathleen's  most  faithful 
vassals,  and  his  holding  was  but  a  short  distance  from 
the  castle,  so  that  the  strangers  could,  unobserved,  watch 
the  life  of  the  little  village.  As  time  passed  they  told 
their  hostess  they  were  merchants,  simple  traders  from  a 
distant  country,  trafficking  in  very  precious  gems  ;  but 
they  had  no  wares  for  exchange,  and  no  gems  to  show  ; 
they  made  no  inquiries  or  researches,  bargained  with 
no  man,  seemed  to  do  no  business  ;  they  were  the  most 
unusual  merchants  ever  seen  in  Ireland,  and  the  strange- 
ness of  their  behaviour  troubled  men's  minds. 
i6S 


PROFESSED  ERRAND  OF  MERCY 

Mysterious  Behaviour 

Day  by  day  they  ate,  unquestioning,  the  coarse  food 
their  poor  hostess  set  before  them,  and  the  black  bread 
which  was  the  best  food  obtainable  in  those  terrible 
days,  but  they  added  to  it  wine,  rich  and  red,  from 
their  own  private  store,  and  they  paid  her  lavishly  in 
good  red  gold,  so  that  she  wondered  that  any  men 
should  stay  in  the  famine-stricken  country  when  they 
could  so  easily  leave  it  at  their  will.  Gradually,  too, 
speaking  now  in  the  Irish  tongue,  they  began  to  ask 
her  cautious  questions  of  the  people,  of  the  land,  of 
the  famine,  how  men  lived  and  how  they  died,  and  so 
they  heard  of  the  exceeding  goodness  of  the  Countess 
Cathleen,  whose  bounty  had  saved  so  many  lives,  and 
was  still  saving  others,  though  the  deadly  pinch  of  famine 
grew  sorer  with  the  passing  days.  To  their  hostess  they 
admired  Cathleen's  goodness,  and  were  loud  in  her 
praises,  but  they  looked  askance  at  one  another  and 
their  brows  were  black  with  discontent. 

Professed  Errand  of  Mercy 

Then  one  day  the  kingly  merchants  told  the  poor 
widow  who  harboured  them  that  they  too  were  the 
friends  of  the  poor  and  starving  ;  they  were  servants 
of  a  mighty  prince,  who  in  his  compassion  and  mercy 
had  sent  them  on  a  mission  to  Ireland  to  help  the 
afflicted  peasants  to  fight  against  famine  and  death. 
They  said  that  they  themselves  had  no  food  to  give, 
only  wine  and  gold  in  plenty,  so  that  men  might  exert 
themselves  and  search  for  food  to  buy.  Their  hostess, 
hearing  this,  and  knowing  that  there  were  still  some 
niggards  who  refused  to  part  with  their  mouldering 
heaps  of  corn,  setting  the  price  so  high  that  no  man 
could  buy,  called  down  the  blessing  of  God  and  Mary 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

and  all  the  saints  upon  their  heads,  for  if  they  would 
distribute  their  gold  to  all,  or  even  buy  the  corn  them- 
selves and  distribute  it,  men  need  no  longer  die  of 
hunger. 

A  New  Traffic 

When  she  prayed  for  a  blessing  on  the  two  strangers 
they  smiled  scornfully  and  impatiently  ;  and  the  elder 
said,  cunningly : 

"Alas!  we  know  the  evils  of  mere  chanty, 
And  would  devise  a  more  considered  way. 
Let  each  man  bring  one  piece  of  merchandise." 

"Ah,  sirs!"  replied  the  hostess,  "then  your  com- 
passion, your  gold  and  your  goodwill  are  of  no  avail. 
Think  you,  after  all  these  weary  months,  that  any  man 
has  merchandise  left  to  sell  ?  They  have  sold  long  ago 
all  but  the  very  clothes  they  wear,  to  keep  themselves 
alive  till  better  days  come.  Such  offers  are  mockery  of 
our  distress." 

"  We  mock  you  not,"  said  the  elder  merchant.  "  All 
men  have  the  one  precious  thing  we  wish  to  buy,  and 
have  come  hither  to  find ;  none  has  already  lost  or 
sold  it" 

"  What  precious  treasure  can  you  mean  ?  Men  in 
Ireland  now  have  only  their  lives,  and  can  barely 
cherish  those,"  said  the  poor  woman,  wondering  greatly 
and  much  afraid. 

Buyers  of  Souls 

The  elder  merchant  continued  gazing  at  her  with  a 
crafty  smile  and  an  eye  ever  on  the  alert  for  tokens  of 
understanding.  "  Poor  as  they  are,  Irishmen  have  still 
one  thing  that  we  will  purchase,  if  they  will  sell  :  their 
souls,  which  we  have  come  to  obtain  for  our  mighty 
Prince,  and  with  the  great  price  that  we  shall  pay  in 
170 


SLOW  TRADE  AT  FIRST 

pure  gold  men  can  well  save  their  lives  till  the  I  starving 
time  is  over.  Why  should  men  die  a  cruel,  lingering 
death  or  drag  through  weary  months  of  miserable  hair- 
satisfied  life  when  they  may  live  well  and  merrily  at 
the  cost  of  a  soul,  which  is  no  good  but  to  cause  fear 
and  pain  ?  We  take  men's  souls  and  liberate  them  from 
all  pain  and  care  and  remorse,  and  we  give  in  exchange 
money,  much  money,  to  procure  comforts  and  ease  ; 
we  enrol  men  as  vassals  of  our  great  lord,  and  he  is  no 
hard  taskmaster  to  those  who  own  his  sway." 

Slow  Trade  at  First 

When  the  poor  widow  heard  these  dreadful  words 
she  knew  that  the  strangers  were  demons  come  to 
tempt  men's  souls  and  to  lure  them  to  Hell.  She 
crossed  herself,  and  fled  from  them  in  fear,  praying  to 
be  kept  from  temptation  ;  and  she  would  not  return  to 
her  little  cottage  in  the  forest,  but  stayed  in  the  village 
warning  men  against  the  evil  demons  who  were  tempt- 
ing the  starving  people,  till  she  too  died  of  the  famine, 
and  her  house  was  left  wholly  to  the  strangers.  Yet 
the  merchants  fared  ever  well,  better  than  before  her 
departure,  and  those  who  ventured  to  the  forest 
dwelling  found  good  food  and  rich  wine,  which  the 
strangers  sometimes  gave  to  their  visitors,  with  crafty 
hints  of  abundance  to  be  easily  obtained.  Then  when 
timid  individuals  asked  the  way  to  win  these  comforts 
the  strangers  began  their  tempting,  and  represented  the 
ease  to  be  gained  by  the  sale  of  men's  souls.  One  man, 
bolder  than  the  rest,  made  a  bargain  with  the  demons 
and  gave  them  his  soul  for  three  hundred  crowns  of 
gold,  and  from  that  time  he  in  his  turn  became  a 
tempter.  He  boasted  of  his  wealth,  of  the  rich  food 
the  merchants  gave  him  at  times,  of  the  potent  wine 
he  drank  from  their  generously  opened  bottles,  and, 

171 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
best  of  all,  he  vaunted  his  freedom  from  pity,  con- 
science, or  remorse. 

Trade  Increases 

Gradually  many  people  came  to  the  forest  dwelling 
and  trafficked  with  the  demon  merchants.  The  purchase 
of  souls  went  on  busily,  and  the  demons  paid  prices 
varying  according  to  the  worth  of  the  soul  and  the 
record  of  its  former  sins  ;  but  to  all  who  sold  they 
gave  food  and  wine,  and  in  gloating  over  their  gold, 
and  satisfying  hunger  and  thirst,  men  forgot  to  ask 
whence  came  this  food  and  wine  and  the  endless  stores 
of  coin.  Now  many  people  ventured  into  the  forest  to 
deal  with  the  demons,  and  the  narrow  track  grew  into 
a  broad  beaten  way  with  the  numbers  of  those  who 
came,  and  all  returned  fed  and  warmed,  and  bearing 
bags  heavy  with  coin,  and  the  promise  of  abundant 
food  and  easy  service.  Those  who  had  sold  their  souls 
rioted  with  the  money,  for  the  demons  gave  them  food, 
and  they  bought  wine  from  the  inexhaustible  stores 
of  the  evil  merchants.  The  poor,  lost  people  knew  that 
there  was  no  hope  for  them  after  death,  and  they  tried 
by  all  means  to  keep  themselves  alive  and  to  enjoy 
what  was  yet  left  to  them  ;  but  their  mirth  was  fearful 
and  they  durst  not  stop  to  think. 

Cathleen  Hears  of  the  Demon  Traders 

At  first  the  Countess  Cathleen  knew  nothing  of  the 
terrible  doings  of  the  demons,  for  she  never  passed  be- 
yond her  castle  gates,  but  spent  her  time  in  prayer  foi 
her  people's  safety  and  for  the  speedy  return  of  her  mes- 
sengers ;  but  when  the  starving  throng  of  pensioners  at 
her  gates  grew  daily  less,  and  there  were  fewer  claimants 
for  the  pitiful  allowance  which  was  all  she  had  to  give, 
she  wondered  if  some  other  mightier  helper  had  come 
172 


The  peasant's  story 


THE  PEASANT'S  STORY 

to  Ireland.  But  she  could  hear  of  none,  and  soon  the 
shameless  rioting  and  drunkenness  in  the  village  came 
to  her  knowledge,  and  she  wondered  yet  more  whence 
her  clansmen  obtained  the  means  for  their  excesses,  for 
she  felt  instinctively  that  the  origin  of  all  this  rioting 
must  be  evil.  Cathleen  therefore  called  to  her  an  old 
peasant,  whose  wife  had  died  of  hunger  in  the  early 
days  of  the  famine,  so  that  he  himself  had  longed  to 
die  and  join  her  ;  but  when  he  came  to  her  she  was 
horror-struck  by  the  change  in  him.  Now  he  came 
flushed  with  wine,  with  defiant  look  and  insolent  bear- 
ing, and  his  face  was  full  of  evil  mirth  as  he  tried  to 
answer  soberly  the  Countess's  questions. 

"Why  do  the  villagers  and  strangers  no  longer 
come  to  me  for  food  ?  I  have  but  little  now  to  give, 
but  all  are  welcome  to  share  it  with  me  and  my 
household." 

The  Peasant's  Story 

"  They  do  not  come,  O  Countess,  because  they  are 
no  longer  starving.  They  have  better  food  and  wine, 
and  abundance  of  money  to  buy  more." 

"Whence  then  have  they  obtained  the  money,  the 
food,  and  the  wine  for  the  drinking-bouts,  the  tumult 
of  which  reaches  me  even  in  my  oratory  ? " 

"  Lady,  they  have  received  all  from  the  generous 
merchants  who  are  in  the  forest  dwelling  where  old 
Mairi  formerly  lived  ;  she  is  dead  now,  and  these  noble 
strangers  keep  open  house  in  her  cottage  night  and 
day  ;  they  are  so  wealthy  that  they  need  not  stint  their 
bounty,  and  so  powerful  that  they  can  find  good  food, 
enough  for  all  who  go  to  them.  Since  Brigit  died 
(your  old  servant,  lady)  her  husband  and  son  work  no 
more,  but  serve  the  strange  merchants,  and  urge 
all  men  to  join  them  ;  and  I,  and  many  others,  have 

173 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

done  so,  and  we  are  now  wealthy "  (here  he  showed 
the  Countess  a  handful  of  gold)  "  and  well  fed,  and  have 
wine  as  much  as  heart  can  desire.*' 

"But  do  you  give  them  nothing  in  return  for  all 
their  generosity  ?  Are  they  so  noble  that  they  ask 
nothing  in  requital  of  their  bounty  ?  " 

"Good  Gold  for  Souls" 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  give  them  something,  but  nothing 
of  importance,  nothing  we  cannot  spare.  They  are 
merchants  of  souls,  and  buy  them  for  their  king,  and 
they  pay  good  red  gold  for  the  useless,  painful  things. 
I  have  sold  my  soul  to  them,  and  now  I  weep  no  more 
for  my  wife  ;  I  am  gay,  and  have  wine  enough  and 
gold  enough  to  help  me  through  this  dearth  ! " 

"  Alas  !  "  sighed  the  Countess,  "  and  what  when 
you  too  die  ?  "  The  old  peasant  laughed  at  her  grief 
as  he  said  :  "  Then,  as  now,  I  shall  have  no  soul  to 
trouble  me  with  remorse  or  conscience";  and  the 
Countess  covered  her  eyes  with  her  hand  and  beckoned 
silently  that  he  should  go.  In  her  oratory,  whither  she 
betook  herself  immediately,  she  prayed  with  all  her 
spirit  that  the  Virgin  and  all  the  saints  would  inspire 
her  to  defeat  the  demons  and  to  save  her  people's  souls. 

Cathleen  Tries  to  Check  the  Traffic 

Next  day  Cathleen  called  together  all  the  people  in 
the  village,  her  own  tribesmen  and  strangers.  She 
offered  them  again  a  share  of  all  she  had,  and  the  daily 
rations  she  could  distribute,  but  told  them  that  all  must 
share  alike  and  that  she  had  nothing  but  the  barest 
necessaries  to  give — scanty  portions  of  corn  and  meal, 
with  milk  from  one  or  two  famine-stricken  cows  her 
servants  had  managed  to  keep  alive.  To  this  she 
added  that  she  had  sent  two  trusty  messengers  for  help, 
174 


IN  VAIN 

one  to  Ulster  for  cattle,  and  Fergus  to  England  for 
corn  and  wine  ;  they  must  return  soon,  she  felt  sure, 
with  abundant  supplies,  if  men  would  patiently  await 
their  return. 

In  Vain 

But  all  was  useless.  Her  messengers  had  sent  no 
word  of  their  return,  and  the  abundant  supplies  at  the 
forest  cottage  were  more  easily  obtained,  and  were  less 
carefully  regulated,  than  those  of  the  Countess  Cathleen. 
The  merchants,  too,  were  ever  at  hand  with  their  cun- 
ning wiles,  and  their  active,  persuasive  dupes,  who 
would  gladly  bring  all  others  into  their  own  soulless 
condition.  The  wine  given  by  the  demons  warmed  the 
hearts  of  all  who  drank,  and  the  deceived  peasants 
dreamed  of  happiness  when  the  famine  was  over,  and 
so  the  passionate  appeal  of  the  Countess  failed,  and 
the  sale  of  souls  continued  merrily.  The  noise  of 
revelry  grew  daily  louder  and  more  riotous,  and  the 
drinkers  cared  nothing  for  the  death  or  departure  or 
their  dearest  friends ;  while  those  who  died,  died 
drunken  and  utterly  reckless,  or  full  of  horror  and 
despair,  reviling  the  crafty  merchants  who  had  deceived 
them  with  promises  of  life  and  happiness.  The  evil 
influence  clung  all  about  the  countryside,  and  seemed 
in  league  with  the  pitiless  powers  of  Nature  against 
the  souls  of  men,  till  at  last  the  stricken  Countess, 
putting  her  trust  in  God,  sought  out  the  forest  lodge 
where  the  demon  merchants  dwelt,  trafficking  for  souls. 
The  way  was  easy  to  find  now,  for  a  broad  beaten  track 
led  to  the  dwelling,  and  as  the  evil  spirits  saw  Cathleen 
coming  slowly  along  the  path  their  wicked  eyes  gleamed 
and  their  clawlike  hands  worked  convulsively  in  their 
iewelled  gloves,  for  they  hoped  she  had  come  to  sell 
her  pure  soul. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

She  Visits  the  Demons 

"What  does  the  Countess  Cathleen  wish  to  obtain 
from  two  poor  stranger  merchants  ?  "  said  the  elder 
with  an  evil  smile  ;  and  the  younger,  bowing  deeply, 
said  :  "  Lady,  you  may  command  us  in  all  things,  save 
what  touches  our  allegiance  to  our  king."  Cathleen 
replied :  "  I  have  no  merchandise  to  barter,  nothing  for 
trade  with  you,  for  you  buy  such  things  as  I  will  never 
sell  :  you  buy  men's  souls  for  Hell.  I  come  only  to 
beg  that  you  will  release  the  poor  souls  whom  you  have 
bought  for  Satan's  kingdom,  and  will  have  mercy  on  my 
ignorant  people  and  deceive  them  no  more.  I  have  yet 
some  gold  unspent  and  jewels  unsold  :  take  all  there  is, 
but  let  my  people  go  free."  Then  th~  merchants 
laughed  aloud  scornfully,  and  rejected  her  offer. 
u  Would  you  have  us  undo  our  work  ?  Have  we 
toiled,  then,  for  naught  to  extend  our  master's  sway  ? 
Have  we  won  for  him  so  many  souls  to  dwell  for  ever 
in  his  kingdom  and  do  his  work,  and  shall  we  give 
them  back  for  your  entreaties  ?  We  have  gold  enough, 
and  food  and  wine  enough,  fair  lady.  The  souls  we 
have  bought  we  keep,  for  our  master  gives  us  honour 
and  rank  proportioned  to  the  number  of  souls  we  win 
for  him,  and  you  may  see  by  the  golden  circlets  round 
our  brows  that  we  are  princes  of  his  kingdom,  and  have 
brought  him  countless  souls.  Nevertheless,  there  is 
one  most  rare  and  precious  thing  which  could  redeem 
these  bartered  souls  of  Ireland's  peasants,  things  of  little 
worth." 

They  Make  a  Proposal 

"  Oh,  what  is  that  ?  "  said  the  Countess.    "  If  I  have 
it,  or  can  in  any  way  procure  it,  tell  me,  that  I  may 
redeem  these  deluded  people's  souls." 
176 


Thieves  have  broken  into  the  treasure-chamber"  176 


FALSE  TIDINGS 

"You  have  it  now,  fair  saint.  It  is  one  pure  soul, 
precious  as  multitudes  of  more  sin-stained  souls.  Our 
master  would  far  rather  have  a  perfect  and  flawless  pearl 
for  his  diadem  than  myriads  of  these  cracked  and  flawed 
crystals.  Your  soul,  most  saintly  Countess,  would 
redeem  the  souls  of  all  your  tribe,  if  you  would  sell  it 
to  our  king  ;  it  would  be  the  fairest  jewel  in  his  crown. 
But  think  not  to  save  your  people  otherwise,  and 
beguile  them  no  longer  with  false  promises  of  help  : 
your  messenger  to  Ulster  lies  sick  of  ague  in  the  Bog  of 
Allen,  and  no  food  comes  from  England." 

False  Tidings 

"  We  saw  a  man 

Heavy  with  sickness  in  the  Bog  of  Allen 
Whom  you  had  bid  buy  cattle.     Near  Fair  Head 
We  saw  your  grain  ships  lying  all  becalmed 
In  the  dark  night,  and  not  less  still  than  they 
Burned  all  their  mirrored  lanterns  in  the  sea.'* 

When  Cathleen  heard  of  the  failure  of  her  messengers 
to  bring  food  it  seemed  as  if  all  hope  were  indeed  over, 
and  the  demons  smiled  craftily  upon  her  as  she  turned 
silently  to  go,  and  laughed  joyously  to  each  other  when 
she  had  left  their  presence.  Now  they  had  good  hope 
to  win  her  for  their  master  ;  but  they  knew  that  their 
time  was  short,  since  help  was  not  far  away. 

"  Last  night,  closed  in  the  image  of  an  owl, 

I  hurried  to  the  cliffs  of  Donegal, 

And  saw,  creeping  on  the  uneasy  surge, 

Those  ships  that  bring  the  woman  grain  and  meal ; 

They  are  five  days  from  us. 

I  hurried  east, 

A  grey  owl  flitting,  flitting  in  the  dew, 

And  saw  nine  hundred  oxen  toil  through  Meath, 
.  Driven  on  by  goads  of  iron  ;  they  too,  brother, 

Are  full  five  days  from  us.     Five  days  for  traffic." 

177 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Cathleen's  Despair 

The  Countess  then  went  back  in  bitter  grief  to  her 
desolate  castle,  where  only  faithful  old  servants  now 
waited  in  the  halls,  and  whispered  together  in  the  dark 
corners,  and,  kneeling  in  her  oratory,  she  prayed  far  into 
the  night  for  light  in  her  darkness.  As  she  prayed 
before  the  altar  she  slept  for  very  weariness,  and  was 
aroused  by  a  sudden  furious  knocking,  and  an  outcry  of 
"  Thieves  !  Thieves  !  "  Cathleen  rose  quickly  from 
the  altar  steps,  and  met  her  foster-mother,  Oona,  at  the 
door  of  the  oratory  ;  and  Oona  cried  aloud  :  "  Thieves 
have  broken  into  the  treasure-chamber,  and  nothing  is 
left  1 "  Cathleen  asked  if  this  were  true,  and  discovered 
that  not  a  single  coin,  not  a  single  gem  was  left :  the 
demons  had  stolen  all.  And  while  the  servants  still 
mourned  over  the  lost  treasures  of  the  house  there 
came  another  cry  of  "  Thieves  !  Thieves  !  "  and  an 
old  peasant  rushed  in,  exclaiming  that  all  the  food  was 
gone.  That,  alas  !  was  true  :  the  few  sacks  of  meal 
which  supplied  the  scanty  daily  fare  were  emptied  and 
the  bags  flung  on  the  floor.  Now  indeed  the  last  poor 
resource  was  gone. 

A  Desperate  Decision 

When  the  Countess  heard  of  this  last  terrible 
misfortune  a  great  light  broke  upon  her  mind  with  a 
blinding  flash,  and  showed  her  a  way  to  save  others, 
even  at  the  cost  of  her  own  salvation.  It  seemed  God's 
answer  to  her  prayer  for  guidance,  and  she  resolved 
to  follow  the  inspiration  thus  sent  into  her  mind. 
She  decided  now  what  she  would  do  ;  her  mind  wa* 
made  up,  and  the  light  which  shines  from  extreme 
sacrifice  of  self  was  so  bright  upon  her  face  that  her 
old  nurse  and  her  servants,  wailing  around  her,  were 
178 


CATHLEEN  REVISITS  THE  DEMONS 

awe-stricken  and  durst  not  question  or  check  her. 
She  returned  to  her  oratory  door,  and,  standing  on 
the  steps,  looking  down  on  her  weeping  domestics, 
she  cried  : 

"  I  am  desolate, 

For  a  most  sad  resolve  wakes  in  my  heart ; 

But  always  I  have  faith.     Old  men  and  women, 

Be  silent  ;  God  does  not  forsake  the  world. 
Mary  Queen  of  Angels 

And  all  you  clouds  and  clouds  of  saints,  farewell  1 " 

With  one  last  long  gaze  at  the  little  altar  of  her  oratory 
she  resolutely  closed  the  door  and  turned  away. 

She  Revisits  the  Demons 

The  next  day  the  merchants  in  their  forest  lodge 
were  still  buying  souls,  and  giving  food  and  wine  to  the 
starving  peasants  who  sold.  They  were  buying  men 
and  women,  sinful,  terrified,  afraid  to  die,  eager  to  live  ; 
buying  them  more  cheaply  than  before  because  of  the 
increase  of  sin  and  terror.  Bargains  were  being  struck 
and  bartering  was  in  full  progress,  when  suddenly  all 
the  peasants  stopped,  shamefaced,  as  one  said,  "  Here 
comes  the  Countess  Cathleen,"  and  down  the  track  she 
was  seen  approaching  slowly.  One  by  one  the  peasants 
slunk  away,  and  the  demon  merchants  were  quite  alone 
when  Cathleen  entered  the  little  cottage  where  they  sat, 
with  bags  of  coin  on  the  table  before  them  and  on  the 
ground  beside  them.  Again  they  greeted  her  with 
mocking  respect,  and  asked  to  know  her  will. 
"  Merchants,  do  you  still  buy  souls  for  Hell  ?  " 
"  Lady,  our  traffic  prospers,  for  the  famine  lies  long 
on  the  land,  and  men  would  fain  live  till  better  days 
come  again.  Besides,  we  can  give  them  food  and  wine 
and  wealth  for  future  years  ;  and  all  in  exchange  for  a 
mere  soul,  a  little  breath  of  wind." 

179 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"Perhaps  the  Countess  Cathleen  has  come  to  deal 
with  us,"  said  the  younger. 

"  Merchant,  you  are  right ;  I  have  come  to  bring 
you  merchandise.  I  have  a  soul  to  sell,  so  costly  that 
perhaps  the  price  is  beyond  your  means." 

The  elder  merchant  replied  joyfully  :  "  No  price  is 
beyond  our  means,  if  only  the  soul  be  worth  the  price  ; 
if  it  be  a  pure  and  stainless  soul,  fit  to  join  the  angels 
and  saints  in  Paradise,  our  master  will  gladly  pay  all 
you  ask.  Whose  is  the  soul,  and  what  is  the  price  ? " 

He*  Terms 

a  The  people  starve,  therefore  the  people  go 
Thronging  to  you.     I  hear  a  cry  come  from  them, 
And  it  is  in  my  ears  by  night  and  day  : 
And  I  would  have  five  hundred  thousand  crowns, 
To  find  food  for  them  till  the  dearth  go  by  ; 
And  have  the  wretched  spirits  you  have  bought 
For  your  gold  crowns,  released,  and  sent  to  God. 
The  soul  that  I  would  barter  is  my  soul." 

The  Bond  Signed 

When  the  demons  heard  this,  and  knew  that  Cath- 
leen was  willing  to  give  her  own  soul  as  ransom  for  the 
souls  of  others,  they  were  overjoyed,  their  eyes  flashed, 
the  rubies  of  their  golden  crowns  shot  out  fiery  gleams, 
and  their  fingers  clutched  the  air  as  if  they  already  held 
her  stainless  soul.  This  would  be  a  great  triumph  to 
their  master,  and  they  would  win  great  honour  in  Hell 
when  they  brought  him  a  soul  worth  far,  far  more  than 
large  abundance  of  ordinary  sinful  souls.  Very  care- 
fully they  watched  while  the  trembling  Countess  signed 
the  bond  which  gave  her  soul  to  Hell,  very  gladly  they 
paid  down  the  money  for  which  she  had  stipulated,  and 
very  joyously  they  saw  the  signs  of  speedy  death  in  her 
face,  knowing,  as  they  did,  how  soon  the  coming  relief 
180 


Cathleen  signed  the  bond  " 


CATHLEEN  FADES  AWAY 

would   show  her  sacrifice  to  have  been  unnecessary, 
though  now  it  was  irrevocable. 

General  Lamentation 

Sadly  but  resolutely  she  turned  away,  followed  by 
her  servants  bearing  the  bags  of  gold,  and  as  she  passed 
through  the  village  a  rumour  ran  before  her  of  what 
she  had  done.  All  men  were  sobered  by  the  terrible 
tidings,  and  the  redeemed  people  waited  for  her  coming, 
and  followed  her  weeping  and  lamenting,  for  now  their 
souls  were  free  again,  and  they  recognised  the  great 
sacrifice  she  had  made  for  them  ;  but  it  was  too  late  to 
save  her,  though  now  all  would  have  died  for  her. 
Cathleen  passed  on  into  her  castle,  and  there  in  the 
courtyard  she  distributed  the  money  to  all  her  people, 
and  bade  them  dwell  quietly  in  obedience  till  her  steward 
returned.  She  herself,  she  said,  could  not  stay  ;  she 
must  go  on  a  long  and  dark  journey,  for  her  people's 
need  had  broken  her  heart  and  conquered  her ;  she 
was  no  longer  her  own,  but  belonged  to  the  dark  lord 
of  Hell ;  she  could  not  bid  them  pray  for  her,  nor 
could  she  pray  for  herself. 

Cathleen  Fades  Away 

Her  people,  who  knew  the  great  price  at  which  she 
had  redeemed  them,  besought  the  Blessed  Virgin  and 
all  the  saints  to  have  mercy  on  her  ;  and  all  the  souls 
she  had  released,  on  earth  and  in  Heaven,  prayed  for 
her  night  and  day,  and  the  blessed  saints  interceded 
for  her.  Yet  from  day  to  day  the  Countess  Cathleen 
faded,  and  the  demons,  ceasing  all  other  traffic,  lurked 
in  waiting  to  catch  her  soul  as  she  died.  Night  and  day 
her  heart-broken  foster-mother  Oona  tended  her  ;  but 
she  grew  feebler,  till  it  seemed  that  she  would  die  before 
Fergus  returned. 

181 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Steward  Returns 

On  the  fifth  day,  however,  glad  tidings  came.  Fergus 
had  landed,  and  sent  word  that  he  was  bringing  corn 
and  meal  as  quickly  as  possible ;  also  a  wandering 
peasant  brought  a  message  that  nine  hundred  oxen  were 
within  one  day's  journey  of  her  castle  ;  and  when  the 
gentle  Cathleen  heard  this,  and  knew  that  her  people 
were  safe,  she  died  with  a  smile  on  her  lips  and  thanks 
to  God  for  her  people  on  her  tongue.  That  same  night 
a  great  tempest  broke  over  the  land,  which  drove  away 
the  pestilential  mists,  and  left  the  country  free  from 
evil  influences,  for  with  the  morning  men  found  the 
forest  lodge  crushed  beneath  the  fallen  trees,  and  the 
two  demon  merchants  vanished.  All  gathered  round 
the  castle  and  mourned  for  the  Countess  Cathleen,  for 
none  knew  how  it  would  go  with  her  spirit ;  they  feared 
that  the  evil  demons  had  borne  her  soul  to  Hell.  All 
had  prayed  for  her,  but  there  had  been  no  sign,  no  token 
of  forgiveness.  Nevertheless  their  prayers  were  heard 
and  answered. 

The  Demons  Cheated 

In  the  next  night,  when  the  great  storm  had  passed 
away  and  the  vapours  no  longer  filled  the  air,  when  Fergus 
had  distributed  food  and  wine,  and  the  oxen  had  been 
apportioned  to  every  family,  so  that  plenty  reigned  in 
every  house,  when  only  Cathleen's  castle  lay  desolate, 
shrouded  in  gloom,  the  faithful  old  nurse  Oona,  watch- 
ing by  the  body  of  her  darling,  had  a  glorious  vision. 
She  saw  the  splendid  armies  of  the  angels  who  guard 
mankind,  from  evil,  she  saw  the  saints  who  had  suffered 
and  overcome,  and  amid  them  was  the  Countess  Cathleen, 
happy  with  saints  and  angels  in  the  bliss  of  Paradise  ; 
for  her  love  had  redeemed  her  own  soul  as  well  as  the 
182 


THE  DEMONS  CHEATED 

souls  of  others,  and  God  had  pardoned  her  sin  because 
of  her  self-sacrifice. 

"  The  light  beats  down  :  the  gates  of  pearl  are  wide, 
And  she  is  passing  to  the  floor  of  peace, 
And  Mary  of  the  seven  times  wounded  heart 
Has  kissed  her  lips,  and  the  long  blessed  hair 
Has  fallen  on  her  face  ;  the  Light  of  Lights 
Looks  always  on  the  motive,  not  the  deed, 
The  Shadow  of  Shadows  on  the  deed  alone," 


183 


CHAPTER  IX  :  CUCHULAIN,  THE 
CHAMPION  OF  IRELAND 

Introduction 

AMONG  all  the  early  literatures  of  Europe,  there 
are  two  which,  at  exactly  opposite  corners  of  the 
continent,  display  most  strikingly  similar  charac- 
teristics, characteristics  which  apparently  point  to  some 
racial  affinity  in  the  peoples  who  produced  them.  These 
literatures  are  the  Greek  and  the  Irish.  It  has  been 
maintained  with  much  ingenuity  that  the  Greeks  or 
Homer,  the  early  Britons,  and  the  Irish  Celts  were  all 
of  one  stock,  as  shown  by  the  many  points  they  had  in 
common.  It  is  certain  that  in  customs,  manner  of  life, 
ethics,  ideas  of  religion,  and  methods  of  warfare  a 
striking  similarity  may  be  seen  between  the  Greeks  as 
described  by  Homer  and  the  Britons  as  Julius  Caesar 
knew  them,  or  the  Irish  as  their  own  legends  reveal 
them.  We  must  expect  to  find  in  their  myths  and  legends 
a  certain  resemblance  of  Celtic  ideas  to  Greek  ideas  ; 
and  if  the  great  Achilles  sulks  in  his  tent  because  he  is 
unjustly  deprived  of  his  captive,  the  fair  Briseis,  we  shall 
not  be  surprised  to  find  the  Champion  of  Erin  quarrel- 
ling over  his  claim  to  precedence.  The  contest  between 
the  heroes  for  the  armour  of  dead  Achilles  is  paralleled 
by  this  contest  between  the  three  greatest  warriors  or 
Ireland  for  the  special  dish  of  honour  called  the 
"  Champion's  Portion,"  a  distinction  which  also  recalls 
Greek  life. 

Cuchulain,  the  Irish  Achilles 

The  resemblance  of  theCuchulain  legend  to  the  story 
of  Achilles  is  so  strong  that  Cuchulain  is  often  called 
"  the  Irish  Achilles,"  but  there  are  elements  of  humour 
and  pathos  in  his  story  which  the  tale  of  Achilles  cannot 
184 


CUCHULAIN'S  MARRIAGE 

show,  and  in  reckless  courage,  power  of  inspiring  dread, 
sense  of  personal  merit,  and  frankness  of  speech  the 
Irish  hero  is  not  inferior  to  the  mighty  Greek.  The 
way  in  which  Cuchulain  established  his  claim  to  be 
regarded  as  Chief  Champion  of  Erin  is  related  in  the 
following  story,  which  shows  some  primitive  Celtic 
features  found  again  in  Welsh  legends  and  other 
national  folk-tales. 

The  Youth  of  Cuchulain 

Cuchulain  was  the  nephew  of  King  Conor  of  Ulster, 
son  of  his  sister  Dechtire,  and  men  say  his  father  was 
no  mortal  man,  but  the  great  god  Lugh  of  the  Long 
Hand.  When  Cuchulain  was  born  he  was  brought  up 
by  King  Conor  himself  and  the  wisest  men  of  Ireland ; 
when  five  years  old,  he  beat  all  the  other  boys  in  games 
and  warlike  exercises,  and  on  the  day  on  which  he  was 
seven  he  assumed  the  arms  of  a  warrior,  so  much 
greater  was  he  than  the  sons  of  mortal  men.  Cuchulain 
had  overheard  his  tutor,  Cathbad  the  Druid,  say  to  the 
older  youths,  "If  any  young  man  take  arms  to-day,  his 
name  will  be  greater  than  any  other  name  in  Ireland, 
but  his  span  of  life  will  be  short,"  and  as  he  loved  fame 
above  long  life,  he  persuaded  his  uncle,  King  Conor,  to 
invest  him  with  the  weapons  of  manhood.  His  fame 
soon  spread  all  over  Ireland,  for  his  warlike  deeds  were 
those  of  a  proved  warrior,  not  of  a  child  of  nursery  age, 
and  by  the  time  Cuchulain  was  seventeen  he  was  in  reality 
without  peer  among  the  champions  of  Ulster,  or  of  all 
Ireland. 

Cuchulain's  Marriage 

When  the  men  of  Ulster  remembered  Cuchulain's 
divine  origin,  they  would  fain  have  him  married,  so  that 
he  might  not  die  childless ;  and  for  a  year  they  searched 

'85 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
all  Erin  for  a  fit  bride  for  so  great  a  champion. 
Cuchulain,  however,  went  wooing  For  himself,  to  the 
dun  of  Forgall  the  Wily,  a  Druid  of  great  power. 
Forgall  had  two  daughters,  of  whom  the  younger,  Emer, 
was  the  most  lovely  and  virtuous  maiden  to  be  found 
in  the  country,  and  she  became  Cuchulain' s  chosen 
bride.  Gallant  was  his  wooing,  and  merry  and  jesting 
were  her  answers  to  his  suit,  for  though  Emer  loved 
Cuchulain  at  first  sight  she  would  not  accept  him  at 
once,  and  long  they  talked  together.  Finally  Emer 
consented  to  wed  Cuchulain  when  he  had  undergone 
certain  trials  and  adventures  for  a  year,  and  had  accom- 
plished certain  feats,  a  test  which  she  imposed  on  her 
lover,  partly  as  a  trial  of  his  worthiness  and  constancy 
and  partly  to  satisfy  her  father  Forgall,  who  would  not 
agree  to  the  marriage.  When  Cuchulain  returned 
triumphant  at  the  end  of  the  year,  he  rescued  Emer 
from  the  confinement  in  which  her  father  had  placed 
her,  and  won  her  at  the  sword's  point  ;  they  were 
wedded,  and  dwelt  at  Armagh,  the  capital  of  Ulster, 
under  the  protection  of  King  Conor. 

Bricriu's  Feast 

It  happened  that  at  Conor's  court  was  one  chief  who 
delighted  in  making  mischief,  as  Thersites  among  the 
Grecian  leaders.  This  man,  Bricriu  of  the  Bitter 
Tongue,  came  to  King  Conor  and  invited  him  and  all 
the  heroes  of  the  Red  Branch,  the  royal  bodyguard  of 
Ulster,  to  a  feast  at  his  new  dwelling,  for  he  felt  sure 
he  could  find  some  occasion  to  stir  up  strife  at  a  feast. 
King  Conor,  however,  and  the  Red  Branch  heroes,  dis- 
trusted Bricriu  so  much  that  they  refused  to  accept 
the  invitation,  unless  Bricriu  would  give  sureties  that, 
having  received  his  guests,  he  would  leave  the  hall 
before  the  feasting  began.  Bricriu,  who  had  expected 
1 86 


BRICRIU  MEETS  CONALL  CEARNACH 

some  such  condition,  readily  agreed,  and  before  going 
home  to  prepare  his  feast  took  measures  for  stirring  up 
strife  among  the  heroes  of  Ulster. 

Bricriu's  Falsehood 

Before  Bricriu  left  Armagh  he  went  to  the  mighty 
Laegaire  and  with  many  words  of  praise  said  :  "  All 
good  be  with  you,  O  Laegaire,  winner  of  battles  1 
Why  should  you  not  be  Champion  of  Ireland  for  ever  ?" 

"  I  can  be,  if  I  will,"  said  Laegaire. 

"  Follow  my  advice,  and  you  shall  be  head  of  all  the 
champions  of  Ireland,"  said  cunning  Bricriu. 

"  What  is  your  counsel  ? "  asked  Laegaire. 

"  King  Conor  is  coming  to  a  feast  in  my  house,"  said 
Bricriu,  "and  the  Champion's  Bit  will  be  a  splendid 
portion  for  any  hero.  That  warrior  who  obtains  it  at 
this  feast  will  be  acclaimed  Chief  Champion  of  Erin. 
When  the  banquet  begins  do  you  bid  your  chariot- 
driver  rise  and  claim  the  hero's  portion  for  you,  for 
you  are  indeed  worthy  of  it,  and  I  hope  that  you  may 
get  what  you  so  well  deserve  !  " 

"  Some  men  shall  die  if  my  right  is  taken  from  me," 
quoth  Laegaire ;  but  Bricriu  only  laughed  and  turned 
away. 

Bricriu  Meets  Conall  Cearnach 

Bricriu  next  met  Conall  Cearnach,  Cuchulain's  cousin, 
one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Red  Branch. 

"  May  all  good  be  with  you,  Conall  the  Victorious," 
quoth  he.  "  You  are  our  defence  and  shield,  and  no  foe 
dare  face  you  in  battle.  Why  should  you  not  be  Chief 
Champion  of  Ulster  ?  " 

"  It  only  depends  on  my  will,"  said  Conall ;  and  then 
Bricriu  continued  his  flattery  and  insidious  sugges- 
tions until  he  had  stirred  up  Conall  to  command  his 

187 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

charioteer  to  claim  the  Champion's  Portion  at  Bricriu's 
feast.  Very  joyous  was  Bricriu,  and  very  evilly  he 
smiled  as  he  turned  away  when  he  had  roused  the 
ambition  of  Conall  Cearnach,  for  he  revelled  in  the 
prospect  of  coming  strife. 

Bricriu  Meets  Cuchulain 

"  May  all  good  be  with  you,  Cuchulain,"  said  Bricriu, 
as  he  met  the  youthful  hero.  "You  are  the  chief 
defence  of  Erin,  our  bulwark  against  the  foe,  our  joy 
and  darling,  the  hero  of  Ulster,  the  favourite  of  all  the 
maidens  of  Ireland,  the  greatest  warrior  of  our  land ! 
We  all  live  in  safety  under  the  protection  of  your 
mighty  hand,  so  why  should  you  not  be  the  Chief 
Champion  of  Ulster  ?  Why  will  you  leave  the  Hero's 
Portion  to  some  less  worthy  warrior  ?  " 

"  By  the  god  of  my  people,  I  will  have  it,  or  slay 
any  bold  man  who  dares  to  deprive  me  of  it,"  said 
Cuchulain. 

Thereupon  Bricriu  left  Cuchulain  and  travelled  to  his 
home,  where  he  made  his  preparations  for  receiving  the 
king,  as  if  nothing  were  further  from  his  thoughts  than 
mischief-making  and  guile. 

The  Feast  and  the  Quarrel 

When  King  Conor  and  his  court  had  entered 
Bricriu's  house  at  Dundrum,  and  were  sitting  at  the 
feast,  Bricriu  was  forced  by  his  sureties  to  leave  the  hall, 
for  men  feared  his  malicious  tongue,  and  as  he  went  to 
his  watch-tower  he  turned  and  cried  : 

"The  Champion's  Portion  at  my  feast  is  worth 
having  ;  let  it  be  given  to  the  best  hero  in  Ulster." 

The  carving  and  distribution  of  the  viands  began,  and 
when  the  Champion's  Portion  was  brought  forward  it 
was  claimed  by  three  chariot-drivers,  Laegaire's,  Conall's, 
iSt 


THE  WOMEN'S  QUARREL 

and  Cuchulain's,  each  on  behalf  of  his  master ;  and 
when  no  decision  was  made  by  King  Conor  the  three 
heroes  claimed  it,  each  for  himself.  But  Laegaire  and 
Conall  united  in  defying  Cuchulain  and  ridiculing  his 
claim,  and  a  great  fight  began  in  the  hall,  till  all  men 
shook  for  fear  ;  and  at  last  King  Conor  intervened, 
before  any  man  had  been  wounded. 

"  Put  up  your  swords,"  he  said.  "  The  Champion's 
Portion  at  this  feast  shall  be  divided  among  the  three, 
and  we  will  ask  King  Ailill  and  Queen  Meave  of  Con- 
naught  to  say  who  is  the  greatest  champion."  This 
plan  pleased  every  one  but  Bricriu,  who  saw  his  hopes 
of  fomenting  strife  disappear. 

The  "Women's  Quarrel 

Just  at  that  moment  the  women  rose  and  quitted 
the  hall  to  breathe  the  fresh  air,  and  Bricriu  spied  his 
opportunity.  Going  down  from  his  watch-tower,  he 
met  Fedelm,  the  wife  of  Laegaire,  with  her  fifty 
maidens,  and  said  to  her  : 

"All  good  be  with  you  to-night,  Fedelm  of  the 
Fresh  Heart !  Truly  in  beauty,  in  birth,  in  dignity, 
no  woman  in  Ulster  is  your  equal.  If  you  enter  my 
hall  first  to-night,  you  will  be  queen  of  the  Ulster 
women." 

Fedelm  walked  on  merrily  enough,  but  determined 
that  she  would  soon  re-enter  the  hall,  and  certainly  be- 
fore any  other  woman.  Bricriu  next  met  Lendabair  the 
Favourite,  Conall' s  wife,  and  gave  her  similar  flattery 
and  a  similar  prophecy,  and  Lendabair  also  determined 
to  be  first  back  at  the  house  and  first  to  enter  the  hall. 

Then  Bricriu  waited  till  he  saw  Emer,  Cuchulain's 
fair  wife.  "Health  be  with  you,  Emer,  wife  of  the 
best  man  in  Ireland  !  As  the  sun  outshines  the  stars, 
so  do  you  outshine  all  other  women  1  You  should 

189 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

of  right  enter  the  house  first,  for  whoever  does  so  will 
be  queen  of  the  women  of  Ulster,  and  none  has  a  better 
claim  to  be  their  queen  than  Cuchulain's  wife,  ForgalTs 
fair  daughter." 

The  Husbands  Intervene 

The  three  fair  women,  each  with  her  train  of  fifty 
maidens,  watched  one  another  carefully,  and  when  one 
turned  back  towards  the  house  the  others  accompanied 
her,  step  for  step  ;  and  the  noise  of  their  returning 
footsteps  as  they  raced  along  alarmed  their  husbands. 
Sencha,  the  king's  wise  counsellor,  reassured  them,  say- 
ing, "  It  is  only  a  woman's  quarrel ;  Bricriu  has  stirred 
up  enmity  among  the  wives  of  the  heroes";  and  as  he 
spoke  Emer  reached  the  hall,  having  suddenly  outrun 
the  others ;  but  the  doors  were  shut.  Then  followed 
bitter  complaints  from  Fedelm  and  Lendabair,  both 
united  against  Emer,  as  their  husbands  had  been  against 
Cuchulain.  Again  King  Conor  was  forced  to  call  for 
silence,  since  each  hero  was  supporting  his  own  wife's 
claims  to  be  queen  of  the  Ulster  women.  The  strife 
was  only  calmed  by  the  promise  that  the  claim  to  the 
highest  place  should  be  settled  by  Ailill  and  Meave  of 
Connaught,  who  would  be  impartial  judges. 

The  Heroes  Journey  to  Connaught 

Bricriu's  feast  lasted  for  three  days  longer,  and  then 
King  Conor  and  the  Red  Branch  heroes  returned  to 
Armagh.  There  the  dispute  about  the  Championship 
began  again,  and  Conor  sent  the  heroes  to  Cruachan,  in 
Connaught,  to  obtain  a  judgment  from  King  Ailill. 
"  If  he  does  not  decide,  go  to  Curoi  of  Munster,  who 
is  a  just  and  wise  man,  and  will  find  out  the  best  hero 
by  wizardry  and  enchantments."  When  Conor  had 
decided  thus,  Laegaire  and  Conall,  after  some  disputar 
190 


'  All  three  drove  furiously  towards  Cruachan"  190 


QUEEN  MEAVE  WATCHES  THE  HEROES 

tion  as  to  who  should  start  first,  had  their  chariots 
got  ready  and  drove  towards  Cruachan,  but  Cuchulain 
stayed  amusing  himself  and  the  women  in  Armagh. 
When  his  chariot-driver  reproached  him  with  losing 
the  Champion's  Portion  through  laziness  Cuchulain 
replied  :  "  I  never  thought  about  it,  but  there  is  still 
time  to  win  it.  Yoke  my  steeds  to  the  chariot."  By  this 
time,  however,  the  other  two  heroes  were  far,  very  far, 
in  advance,  with  the  chief  men  of  Ulster  following 
them. 

Cuchulain's  Steeds 

Cuchulain  had  quite  lately  won  two  mighty  magic 
steeds,  which  arose  from  two  lonely  lakes — the  Grey 
of  Macha,  his  best-beloved  horse,  and  the  Black  Sain- 
glain.  The  struggle  between  the  hero  and  these  magic 
steeds  had  been  terrible  before  he  had  been  able  to 
tame  them  and  reduce  them  to  submission  ;  now  he 
had  them  yoked  to  his  chariot,  and  when  he  had  once 
started  he  soon  came  up  with  the  other  two  heroes,  and 
all  three  drove  furiously  towards  Cruachan,  with  all  the 
warriors  of  Ulster  behind  them. 

Queen  Meave  Watches  the  Heroes 

The  noise  of  the  advancing  war-chariots  reached 
Queen  Meave  at  Cruachan,  and  she  wondered  greatly 
to  hear  thunder  from  a  clear  sky  ;  but  her  fair  daughter, 
looking  from  her  window,  said  :  "  Mother,  I  see  chariots 
coming." 

"Who  comes  in  the  first  ? "  asked  Queen  Meave. 

"  I  see  a  big  stout  man,  with  reddish  gold  hair  and 
long  forked  beard,  dressed  in  purple  with  gold  adorn- 
ments ;  and  his  shield  is  bronze  edged  with  gold  ;  he 
bears  .a  javelin  in  his  hand." 

"  That  man  I  know  well,"  answered  her  mother. 

191 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"  He  is  mighty  Laegaire,  the  Storm  of  War,  the  Knife  of 
Victory  ;  he  will  slay  us  all,  unless  he  comes  in  peace." 

"  I  see  another  chariot,"  quoth  the  princess, "  bearing 
a  fair  man  with  long  wavy  hair,  a  man  of  clear  red  and 
white  complexion,  wearing  a  white  vest  and  a  cloak 
of  blue  and  crimson.  His  shield  is  brown,  with  yellow 
bosses  and  a  bronze  edge." 

"That  is  valiant  Conall  the  Victorious,"  quoth 
Meave.  "  Small  chance  shall  we  have  if  he  comes  in 
anger." 

"  Yet  a  third  chariot  comes,  wherein  stands  a  dark, 
sad  youth,  most  handsome  of  all  the  men  of  Erin  ;  he 
wears  a  crimson  tunic,  brooched  with  gold,  a  long  white 
linen  cloak,  and  a  white,  gold-embroidered  hood.  His 
hair  is  black,  his  look  draws  love,  his  glance  shoots  fire, 
and  the  hero-light  gleams  around  him.  His  shield  is 
crimson,  with  a  silver  rim,  and  images  of  beasts  shine  on 
it  in  gold." 

Terror  in  Connaught 

"  Alas  !  that  is  the  hero  Cuchulain,"  said  Meave. 
"  He  is  more  to  be  feared  than  all  others.  His  voice 
in  anger  tells  the  doom  of  men  ;  his  wrath  is  fatal. 
Truly  we  are  but  dead  if  we  have  aroused  Cuchulain's 
wrath."  After  a  pause  :  "  Tell  me,  daughter,  are  there 
yet  other  chariots  ? " 

"  The  men  of  Ulster  follow  in  chariots  so  numerous 
that  the  earth  quakes  beneath  them,  and  their  sound  is 
as  thunder,  or  the  dashing  waves  of  the  sea." 

Now  Queen  Meave  was  terrified  in  good  earnest,  but 
hoped  by  a  hearty  welcome  to  turn  aside  the  wrath  of 
the  heroes  of  Ulster ;  thus  when  they  arrived  at  the 
dun  of  Cruachan  they  found  the  best  ot  receptions,  and 
all  the  Red  Branch  warriors  were  feasted  for  three  days 
and  nights. 
I9z 


"  Three  monstrous  cats  were  let  into  the  room  "  192 


THE  FIRST  TEST 

Conor  Explains  the  Matte* 

After  three  days  Ailill  of  Connaught  asked  their 
business,  and  King  Conor  related  to  him  everything  as 
it  had  occurred — the  feast,  the  dispute  for  the  Cham- 
pion's Portion,  the  women's  quarrel,  and  the  decision 
to  be  judged  by  King  Ailill.  This  angered  Ailill,  who 
was  a  peaceable  man. 

"  It  was  no  friend  of  mine  who  referred  you  to  me, 
for  I  shall  surely  incur  the  hatred  of  two  heroes," 
quoth  he. 

"  You  are  the  best  judge  of  all,"  replied  King  Conor. 

"  Then  I  must  have  time — three  days  and  nights — to 
decide,"  said  Ailill. 

"  We  can  spare  our  heroes  so  long,"  quoth  Conor,  and 
therewith  the  Ulster  men  returned  to  Armagh,  leaving 
the  three  claimants  to  the  Championship  at  Cruachan. 

The  First  Test 

That  night  Ailill  put  them  to  an  unexpected  test. 
Their  feast  was  served  to  them  in  a  separate  room,  and 
the  king  went  to  his  protectors,  the  Fairy  People  of 
the  Hills,  in  the  Good  People's  Hill  at  Cruachan,  and 
begged  some  help  in  his  judgment.  They  willingly 
aided  him,  and  three  magic  beasts,  in  the  shape  of 
monstrous  cats,  were  let  into  the  room  where  the 
heroes  feasted.  When  they  saw  them  Laegaire  and 
Conall  rose  up  from  their  meal,  clambered  up  among 
the  rafters,  and  stayed  there  all  night.  Cuchulain  waited 
till  one  attacked  him,  and  then  drawing  his  sword,  struck 
the  monster.  It  showed  no  further  sign  of  fight,  and 
Cuchulain  kept  watch  all  night,  till  the  magic  beasts 
disappeared  at  daybreak.  When  Ailill  came  into  the 
room  and  saw  the  heroes  as  they  had  spent  the  night 
he  laughed  as  he  said  : 

193 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  Are  you  not  content  to  yield  the  Championship  to 

Cuchulain  ? " 

"  Indeed  no,"  said  Conall  and  Laegaire.  "  We  are  used 

to  fighting  men,  not  monstrous  beasts." 

The  Second  Test 

The  next  day  King  Ailill  sent  the  heroes  to  his  own 
foster-father,  Ercol,  to  spend  a  night  with  him,  that  he 
also  might  test  them.  When  they  arrived,  and  had 
feasted,  Laegaire  was  sent  out  that  night  to  fight  the 
witches  of  the  valley.  Fierce  and  terrible  were  these 
witches,  and  they  beat  Laegaire,  and  took  his  arms  and 
armour. 

When  Conall  went  to  fight  them  the  witches  beat 
him  and  took  his  spear,  but  he  kept  his  sword  and 
brought  it  back  with  honour.  Cuchulain,  who  was  the 
youngest,  went  last,  and  he  too  was  being  beaten, 
when  the  taunts  of  his  chariot-driver,  who  was  watching, 
aroused  him,  and  he  beat  the  witches,  and  bore  off  in 
triumph  their  cloaks  of  battle.  Yet  even  after  this 
the  other  two  heroes  would  not  acknowledge  Cuchulain's 
superiority. 

Ercol's  Defeat 

The  next  day  Ercol  fought  with  each  champion 
separately,  and  conquered  both  Laegaire  and  Conall, 
terrifying  the  former  so  much  that  he  fled  to  Cruachan 
and  told  Meave  and  Ailill  that  Ercol  had  killed  the 
other  two.  When  Cuchulain  arrived  victorious,  with 
Ercol  tied  captive  at  his  chariot-wheels,  he  found  all 
men  mourning  for  him  and  Conall  as  for  the  dead. 

Meave's  Plan  to  Avoid  Strife  in  Cruachan 

Now  indeed  Ailill  was  in  great  perplexity,  for  he 
durst  not  delay  his  decision,  and  he  dreaded  the  wrath 
194 


THE  RETURN  OF  THE  CHAMPIONS 

of  the  two  disappointed  heroes.  He  and  Queen  Meave 
consulted  long  together,  and  at  length  Meave  pro- 
mised to  relieve  him  of  the  responsibility  of  judgment. 
Summoning  Laegaire  to  the  king's  room,  she  said  : 

"  Welcome,  O  Laegaire  !  You  are  greatest  of  the 
warriors  of  Ulster.  To  you  we  give  the  headship  of 
the  heroes  of  Ireland  and  the  Champion's  Portion,  and 
to  your  wife  the  right  to  walk  first  of  all  the  women  of 
Ulster.  In  token  thereof  we  give  you  this  cup  of 
bronze  with  a  silver  bird  embossed,  to  be  seen  by  no 
man  till  you  be  come  to  King  Conor  in  the  Red  Branch 
House  at  Armagh.  Then  show  your  cup  and  claim 
your  right,  and  none  will  dispute  it  with  you." 

So  Laegaire  went  away  well  pleased,  and  they  sent 
for  Conall.  To  him  they  gave  a  silver  cup,  with  a  bird 
embossed  in  gold,  and  to  him  they  pretended  to  adjudge 
the  Championship,  and  Conall  left  them  well  content. 

Cuchulain,  who  was  playing  chess,  refused  to  attend 
the  King  of  Connaught  when  he  was  summoned,  and 
Queen  Meave  had  to  entreat  him  to  come  to  their 
private  room.  There  they  gave  him  a  golden  cup, 
with  a  bird  designed  in  precious  gems,  with  many 
words  of  flattery  for  Cuchulain  and  his  fair  and  noble 
wife,  Emer. 

The  Return  of  the  Champions 

Now  the  heroes,  each  well  content,  bade  farewell  to 
the  court  at  Cruachan,  and  drove  back  to  Armagh,  but 
none  durst  ask  how  they  had  sped.  That  evening, 
at  the  banquet,  when  the  Champion's  Portion  was  set 
aside,  Laegaire  arose  and  claimed  it,  showing  as  proot 
that  his  claim  was  just  the  bronze  cup  he  brought  from 
Queen  Meave. 

But  alas  !  Conall  the  Victorious  had  a  silver  cup,  and 

while  he  was  exulting  in  this  proof  of  his  rightful  claim 

r  19$ 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

to  the  championship  Cuchulain  produced  his  golden 
cup,  and  the  dispute  began  all  over  again.  King  Conor 
would  have  allowed  Cuchulain's  claim,  but  Laegaire 
vowed  that  his  rival  had  bribed  Ailill  and  Meave  with 
great  treasures  to  give  him  the  golden  cup,  and  neither 
Laegaire  nor  Conall  would  yield  him  the  victory  or 
accept  the  judgment  as  final.  "Then  you  must  go  to 
Curoi,"  said  the  king,  and  to  that  they  all  agreed. 

The  Champions  Visit  Curoi 

The  next  day  the  three  champions  drove  to  Kerry, 
where  Curoi  dwelt  in  a  magic  dun.  He  was  away  from 
home  planning  enchantments  to  test  them,  for  he  knew 
they  were  coming,  but  his  wife  welcomed  them,  and 
bade  them  watch  the  dun  for  one  night  each,  begin- 
ning with  Laegaire,  as  the  eldest.  Laegaire  took  up 
his  sentinel's  post  outside  the  dun,  and  Curoi's  wife 
worked  the  charm  which  prevented  entrance  after  night- 
fall. The  night  was  long  and  silent,  and  Laegaire 
thought  he  would  have  a  quiet  watch,  when  he  saw  a 
great  shadow  arise  from  the  sea. 

The  Giant  Fights  Laegaire  and  Conall 

This  shadow  took  the  shape  of  a  huge  giant,  whose 
spears  were  mighty  branch-stripped  oaks,  which  he 
hurled  at  Laegaire.  They  did  not  touch  him,  however, 
and  Laegaire  made  some  show  of  fight ;  but  the  giant 
took  him  up,  squeezed  him  so  tightly  as  nearly  to  slay 
him,  and  then  threw  him  over  the  magic  wall  of  the  dun, 
where  the  others  found  him  lying  half  dead.  All  men 
thought  that  he  had  sprung  with  a  mighty  leap  over 
the  wall,  since  no  other  entrance  was  to  be  found,  and 
Laegaire  kept  silence  and  did  not  explain  to  them. 

Conall,  who  took  the  watch  the  second  night,  fared 
exactly  as  Laegaire  had  done,  and  likewise  did  not 
196 


"  The  dragon  sank  towards  him,  opening  its  terrible  jaws  "     196 


THE  GIANT  WORSTED  BY  CUCHULAIN 

confess  how  he  had  been  thrown  over  the  wall  of  the 
dun,  nor  what  became  of  the  giant  in  the  dawn. 

Cuchulain's  Trials 

The  third  night  was  Cuchulain's  watch,  and  he  took  his 
post  outside  the  dun,  and  the  gates  and  wall  were  secured 
by  magic  spells,  so  that  none  could  enter.  Vainly  he 
watched  till  midnight,  and  then  he  thought  he  saw  nine 
grey  shadowy  forms  creeping  towards  him. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  he  cried.  "  If  you  be  friends, 
stop  ;  if  foes,  come  on  !  "  Then  the  nine  shadowy  foes 
raised  a  shout,  and  fell  upon  the  hero  ;  but  he  fought 
hard  and  slew  them,  and  beheaded  them.  A  second 
and  a  third  time  similar  groups  of  vague,  shadowy  foe- 
men  rushed  at  him,  and  he  slew  them  all  in  like  manner, 
and  then,  wearied  out,  sat  down  to  rest. 

The  Dragon 

Later  on  in  the  night,  as  he  was  still  watching,  he 
heard  a  heavy  sound,  like  waves  surging  in  the  lake,  and 
when  he  roused  himself  to  see  what  it  was  he  beheld  a 
monstrous  dragon.  It  was  rising  from  the  water  and  fly- 
ing towards  the  dun,  and  seemed  ready  to  devour  every- 
thing in  its  way.  When  the  dragon  perceived  him  it 
soared  swiftly  into  the  air,  and  then  gradually  sank 
towards  him,  opening  its  terrible  jaws.  Cuchulain 
sprang  up,  giving  his  wonderful  hero-leap,  and  thrust 
his  arm  into  the  dragon's  mouth  and  down  its  throat ; 
he  found  its  heart,  tore  it  out,  and  saw  the  monster  fall 
dead  on  the  ground.  He  then  cut  off  its  scaly  head, 
which  he  added  to  those  of  his  former  enemies. 

The  Giant  Worsted  by  Cuchulain 

Towards  daybreak,  when  feeling  quite  worn  out 
and  very  sleepy,  he  became  slowly  aware  of  a  great 

'97 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

shadow  coming  to  him  westward  from  the  sea.  The 
shadow,  as  before,  became  a  giant,  who  greeted  him 
in  a  surly  tone  with,  "  This  is  a  bad  night."  "  It  will 
be  worse  yet  for  you,"  said  Cuchulain.  The  giant,  as 
he  had  done  with  the  other  heroes,  threw  oaks,  but  just 
missed  him  ;  and  when  he  tried  to  grapple  with  him 
the  hero  leaped  up  with  drawn  sword.  In  his  anger 
the  hero-light  shone  round  him,  and  he  sprang  as  high 
as  the  giant's  head,  and  gave  him  a  stroke  that  brought 
him  to  his  knees.  "  Life  for  life,  Cuchulain,"  said  the 
giant,  and  vanished  at  once,  leaving  no  trace. 

Cuchulain  Re-enters  the  Dun 

Now  Cuchulain  would  gladly  have  returned  to  the 
fort  to  rest,  but  there  seemed  no  way  of  entrance,  and 
the  hero  was  vexed  at  his  own  helplessness,  for  he 
thought  his  comrades  had  jumped  over  the  magic  walls. 
Twice  he  boldly  essayed  to  leap  the  lofty  wall,  and 
twice  he  failed  ;  then  in  his  wrath  his  great  strength 
came  upon  him,  the  hero-light  shone  round  him,  and 
he  took  a  little  run  and,  leaning  on  his  spear,  leaped  so 
high  and  so  far  that  he  alighted  in  the  middle  of  the 
court,  just  before  the  door  of  the  hall. 

As  he  sighed  heavily  and  wearily,  Curoi's  wife  said  : 
"  That  is  the  sigh  of  a  weary  conqueror,  not  of  a  beaten 
man  "  ;  and  Cuchulain  went  in  and  sat  down  to  rest. 

The  Decision 

The  next  morning  Curoi's  wife  asked  the  champions  : 
"  Are  you  content  that  the  Championship  should  go  to 
Cuchulain  ?  I  know  by  my  magic  skill  what  he  has 
endured  in  the  past  night,  and  you  must  see  that  you 
are  not  equal  to  him." 

"  Nay,  that  we  will  not  allow,"  quoth  they.  "  It 
was  one  of  Cuchulain's  friends  among  the  People  of 


THE  AGREEMENT 

the  Hills  who  came  to  conquer  us  and  to  give  him  the 
Championship.  We  are  not  content,  and  we  will  not 
give  up  our  claim,  for  the  fight  was  not  fair." 

"  Go  home  now  to  Armagh,  is  Curoi's  word,  and  wait 
there  until  he  himself  brings  his  decision,"  said  Curoi's 
wife.  So  they  bade  her  farewell,  and  went  back  to  the 
Red  Branch  House  in  Armagh,  with  the  dispute  still 
unsettled  ;  but  they  agreed  to  await  peaceably  Curoi's 
decision,  and  abide  by  it  when  he  should  bring  it. 

Uath,  the  Stranger 

Some  time  after  this,  when  Curoi  had  made  no  sign 
of  giving  judgment,  it  happened  that  all  the  Ulster 
heroes  were  in  their  places  in  the  Red  Branch  House, 
except  Cuchulain  and  his  cousin  Conall.  As  they  sat 
in  order  of  rank  in  the  hall  they  saw  a  terrible  stranger 
coming  into  the  room.  He  was  gigantic  in  stature, 
hideous  of  aspect,  with  ravening  yellow  eyes.  He  wore 
a  skin  roughly  sewn  together,  and  a  grey  cloak  over  it, 
and  he  sheltered  himself  from  the  light  with  a  spread- 
ing tree  torn  up  by  the  roots.  In  his  hand  he  bore  an 
enormous  axe,  with  keen  and  shining  edge.  This  hideous 
apparition  strode  up  the  hall  and  leant  against  a  carved 
pillar  beside  the  fire. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  asked  one  chieftain  in  sport. 
"  Are  you  come  to  be  our  candlestick,  or  would  you 
burn  the  house  down  ?  Is  this  the  place  for  such  as 
you  ?  Go  farther  down  the  hall  1 " 

"  My  name  is  Uath,  the  Stranger,  and  for  neither  of 
those  things  am  I  come.  I  seek  that  which  I  cannot 
find  in  the  whole  world,  and  that  is  a  man  to  keep  the 
agreement  he  makes  with  me." 

The  Agreement 

"  What  is  the  agreement  ? "  asked  King  Conor. 

'99 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  Behold  my  axe  !  "  quoth  the  stranger.  "  The  man 
who  will  grasp  it  to-day  may  cut  my  head  off  with  it, 
provided  that  I  may,  in  like  manner,  cut  off  his  head 
to-morrow.  Now  you  men  of  Ulster,  heroes  of  the 
Red  Branch,  have  won  the  palm  through  the  wide  world 
for  courage,  honour,  strength,  truth,  and  generosity  ; 
do  you,  therefore,  find  me  a  man  to  keep  this  agree- 
ment. King  Conor  is  excepted,  because  of  his  royal 
dignity,  but  no  other.  And  if  you  have  no  champion 
who  dare  face  me,  I  will  say  that  Ulster  has  lost  her 
courage  and  is  dishonoured." 

"  It  is  not  right  for  a  whole  province  to  be  disgraced 
for  lack  of  a  man  to  keep  his  word,"  said  King  Conor, 
"  but  I  fear  we  have  no  such  champions  here." 

Laegaire  Accepts  the  Challenge 

"  By  my  word,"  said  Laegaire,  who  had  listened 
attentively  to  the  whole  conversation,  "  there  will  be 
a  champion  this  very  moment.  Stoop  down,  fellow, 
and  let  me  cut  off  your  head,  that  you  may  take  mine 
to-morrow." 

Then  Uath  chanted  magic  spells  over  the  axe  as  he 
stroked  the  edge,  and  laid  his  neck  on  a  block,  and 
Laegaire  hewed  so  hard  that  the  axe  severed  the  head 
from  the  body  and  struck  deep  into  the  block.  Then 
the  body  of  Uath  arose,  took  up  the  head  and  the  axe, 
and  strode  away  down  the  hall,  all  people  shrinking  out 
of  its  way,  and  so  it  passed  out  into  the  night. 

"  If  this  terrible  stranger  returns  to-morrow  he  will 
slay  us  all,"  they  whispered,  as  they  looked  pityingly  at 
Laegaire,  who  was  trying  in  vain  to  show  no  signs  of 
apprehension. 

Laegaire  and  Conall  Disgraced 

When  the  next  evening  came,  and  men  sat  in  the 
200 


The  body  of  Uath  arose" 


CUCHULAIN  ACCEPTS  THE  CHALLENGE 
Red  Branch  House,  talking  little  and  waiting  for  what 
would  happen,  in  came  Uath,  the  Stranger,  as  well 
and  sound  as  before  the  terrible  blow,  bearing  his  axe, 
and  eager  to  return  the  stroke.  Alas  !  Laegaire's  heart 
had  failed  him  and  he  did  not  come,  and  the  stranger 
jeered  at  the  men  of  Ulster  because  their  great  cham- 
pion durst  not  keep  his  agreement,  nor  face  the  blow 
he  should  receive  in  return  for  one  he  gave. 

The  men  of  Ulster  were  utterly  ashamed,  but  Conall 
Cearnach,  the  Victorious,  was  present  that  night,  and  he 
made  a  new  agreement  with  Uath.  Conall  gave  a  blow 
which  beheaded  Uath,  but  again,  when  the  stranger 
returned  whole  and  sound  on  the  following  evening,  the 
champion  was  not  to  be  found  :  Conall  would  not  face 
the  blow. 

Cuchulain  Accepts  the  Challenge 

When  Uath  found  that  a  second  hero  of  Ulster  had 
failed  him  he  again  taunted  them  all  with  cowardice  and 
promise-breaking. 

"  What !  is  there  not  one  man  of  courage  among  you 
Ulstermen  ?  You  would  fain  have  a  great  name,  but 
have  no  courage  to  earn  it !  Great  heroes  are  you  all ! 
Not  one  among  you  has  bravery  enough  to  face  me  I 
Where  is  that  childish  youth  Cuchulain !  A  poor 
miserable  fellow  he  is,  but  I  would  like  to  see  if  his 
word  is  better  to  be  relied  on  than  the  word  of  these 
two  great  heroes." 

"  A  youth  I  may  be,"  said  Cuchulain,  "  but  I  will 
keep  my  word  without  any  agreement." 

Uath  laughed  aloud.  "  Yes  !  that  is  likely,  is  it  not  ? 
And  you  with  so  great  a  fear  of  death  1 " 

Thereupon  the  youth  leapt  up,  caught  the  deadly 
axe,"  and  severed  the  giant's  head  as  he  stood  with  one 
stroke. 

aoi 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Cuchulain  Stands  the  Test 

The  next  day  the  Red  Branch  heroes  watched  Cuchu- 
lain to  see  what  he  would  do.  They  would  not  have 
been  surprised  if  he  had  failed  like  the  others,  who  now 
were  present.  The  champion,  however,  showed  no  signs 
of  failing  or  retreat.  He  sat  sorrowfully  in  his  place, 
waiting  for  the  certain  death  that  must  come,  and  re- 
gretting his  rashness,  but  with  no  thought  of  breaking 
his  word. 

With  a  sigh  he  said  to  King  Conor  as  they  waited  : 
"Do  not  leave  this  place  till  all  is  over.  Death  is 
coming  to  me  very  surely,  but  I  must  fulfil  my  agree- 
ment, for  I  would  rather  die  than  break  my  word." 

Towards  the  close  of  day  Uath  strode  into  the  hall 
exultant. 

"Where  is  Cuchulain  ?"  he  cried. 

"  Here  I  am,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Ah,  poor  boy !  your  speech  is  sad  to-night,  and 
the  fear  of  death  lies  heavy  on  you  ;  but  at  least  you 
have  redeemed  your  word  and  have  not  failed  me." 

The  youth  rose  from  his  seat  and  went  towards  Uath, 
as  he  stood  with  the  great  axe  ready,  and  knelt  to 
receive  the  blow. 

Curoi's  Decision  and  Cuchulain's  Victory 

The  hero  of  Ulster  laid  his  head  on  the  block  ; 
but  Uath  was  not  satisfied.  "  Stretch  out  your  neck 
better,"  said  he. 

"You  are  playing  with  me,  to  torment  me,"  said 
Cuchulain.  "  Slay  me  now  speedily,  for  I  did  not  keep 
you  waiting  last  night." 

However,  he  stretched  out  his  neck  as  Uath  bade,  and 
the  stranger  raised  his  axe  till  it  crashed  upwards  through 
the  rafters  of  the  hall,  like  the  crash  of  trees  falling  in  a 


CUROI'S  DECISION 

storm.  When  the  axe  came  down  with  a  terrific  sound 
all  men  looked  fearfully  at  Cuchulain.  The  descending 
axe  had  not  even  touched  him  ;  it  had  come  down  with 
the  blunt  side  on  the  ground,  and  the  youth  knelt  there 
unharmed.  Smiling  at  him,  and  leaning  on  his  axe, 
stood  no  terrible  and  hideous  stranger,  but  Curoi  of 
Kerry,  come  to  give  his  decision  at  last. 

"  Rise  up,  Cuchulain,"  said  Curoi.  "  There  is  none 
among  all  the  heroes  of  Ulster  to  equal  you  in  courage 
and  loyalty  and  truth.  The  Championship  of  the 
Heroes  of  Ireland  is  yours  from  this  day  forth,  and  the 
Champion's  Portion  at  all  feasts  ;  and  to  your  wife  I 
adjudge  the  first  place  among  all  the  women  of  Ulster. 
Woe  to  him  who  dares  to  dispute  this  decision  !  " 
Thereupon  Curoi  vanished,  and  the  Red  Branch  warriors 
gathered  around  Cuchulain,  and  all  with  one  voice 
acclaimed  him  the  Champion  of  the  Heroes  of  all  Ire- 
land— a  title  which  has  clung  to  him  until  this  day. 


203 


CHAPTER  X  :  THE  TALE  OF 
GAMELYN 

The  " Wicked  Brothers"  Theme 

THE  tale  of  "  Gamelyn  "  is  a  variant  of  the  old 
fairy-tale  subject  of  the  Wicked  Elder  Brothers, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  interesting  versions  of 
which  may  still  be  read  in  the  Biblical  story  of  Joseph  and 
his  brethren.  Usually  a  father  dies  leaving  three  sons, 
of  whom  the  two  elder  are  worthless  and  the  youngest 
rises  to  high  honour,  whereupon  the  elder  brothers  try 
to  kill  the  youngest  from  envy  at  his  good  fortune.  A 
similar  root-idea  is  found  in  "  Cinderella  "  and  other 
fairy-tales  of  girls,  but  in  these  there  may  usually  be 
found  a  cruel  stepmother  and  two  contemptuous  step- 
sisters— a  noteworthy  variation  which  seems  to  point  to 
some  deep-rooted  idea  that  the  ties  of  blood  are  stronger 
among  women  than  among  men. 

Literary  Influence  of  the   "  Gamelyn "  Story 

The  story  of  "  Gamelyn  "  has  two  great  claims  to  our 
attention  :  it  is,  through  Lodge's  "  Euphues'  Golden 
Legacy,"  the  ultimate  source  of  Shakespeare's  As  Tou 
Like  It,  and  it  seems  to  be  the  earliest  presentment  in 
English  literature  of  the  figure  of  "  the  noble  outlaw." 
In  fact,  Gamelyn  is  probably  the  literary  ancestor  of 
"bold  Robin  Hood,"  and  stands  for  an  English 
ideal  of  justice  and  equity,  against  legal  oppression  and 
wickedness  in  high  places.  He  shows,  too,  the  love  of 
free  life,  of  the  merry  greenwood  and  the  open  road, 
which  reappears  after  so  many  centuries  in  the  work  of 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 

The  Story 

In  the  reign  of  King  Edward  I.  there  dwelt  in  Lin- 


SIR  JOHN  DYING 

colnshire,  near  the  vast  expanse  of  the  Fens,  a  noble 
gentleman,  Sir  John  of  the  Marches.  He  was  now  old, 
but  was  still  a  model  of  all  courtesy  and  a  "  very  perfect 
gentle  knight."  He  had  three  sons,  of  whom  the 
youngest,  Gamelyn,  was  born  in  his  father's  old  age,  and 
was  greatly  beloved  by  the  old  man ;  the  other  two  were 
much  older  than  he,  and  John,  the  eldest,  had  already 
developed  a  vicious  and  malignant  character.  Gamelyn 
and  his  second  brother,  Otho,  reverenced  their  father, 
but  John  had  no  respect  or  obedience  for  the  good 
gentleman,  and  was  the  chief  trouble  of  his  declining 
years,  as  Gamelyn  was  his  chief  joy. 

The  Father  Feels  his  End  Approaching 

At  last  old  age  and  weakness  overcame  the  worthy 
old  Sir  John,  and  he  was  forced  to  take  to  his  bed, 
where  he  lay  sadly  meditating  on  his  children's  future, 
and  wondering  how  to  divide  his  possessions  justly 
among  the  three.  There  was  no  difficulty  of  inheritance 
or  primogeniture,  for  all  the  knight's  lands  were  held  in 
fee-simple,  and  not  in  entail,  so  that  he  might  bequeath 
them  as  he  would.  Sir  John  of  the  Marches,  fearing 
lest  he  should  commit  an  injustice,  sent  throughout  the 
district  for  wise  knights,  begging  them  to  come  hastily, 
if  they  wished  to  see  him  alive,  and  help  him.  When 
the  country  squires  and  lords,  his  near  neighbours, 
heard  of  his  grave  condition,  they  hurried  to  the  castle, 
and  gathered  in  the  bedchamber,  where  the  dying  knight 
greeted  them  thus  :  "  Lords  and  gentlemen,  I  warn 
you  in  truth  that  I  may  no  longer  live  ;  by  the  will  of 
God  death  lays  his  hand  upon  me."  When  they  heard 
this  they  tried  to  encourage  him,  by  bidding  him 
remember  that  God  can  provide  a  remedy  for  every 
disease,  and  the  good  knight  received  their  kindly  words 
without  dispute.  "  That  God  can  send  remedy  for  an 

205 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

ill  I  will  never  deny  ;  but  I  beseech  you,  for  my  sake, 
to  divide  my  lands  among  my  three  sons.  For  the 
love  of  God  deal  justly,  and  forget  not  my  youngest, 
Gamelyn.  Seldom  does  any  heir  to  an  estate  help  his 
brothers  after  his  father's  death." 


How  Shall  he  Dispose  of  his  Estate  ? 

The  friends  whom  Sir  John  had  summoned  delibe- 
rated long  over  the  disposal  of  the  estate.  The  majority 
wished  to  give  all  to  the  eldest  son,  but  a  strong 
minority  urged  the  claims  of  the  second,  but  all  agreed 
that  Gamelyn  might  wait  till  his  eldest  brother  chose  to 
give  him  a  share  of  his  father's  lands.  At  last  it  was 
decided  to  divide  the  inheritance  between  the  two  elder 
sons,  and  the  knights  returned  to  the  chamber  where 
the  brave  old  knight  lay  dying,  and  told  him  their 
decision.  He  summoned  up  strength  enough  to  protest 
against  their  plan  of  distribution,  and  said  : 

" '  Nay,  by  St.  Martin,  I  can  yet  bequeath 
My  lands  to  whom  I  wish  :  they  still  are  mine. 
Then  hearken,  neighbours,  while  I  make  my  will. 
To  John,  my  eldest  son,  and  heir,  I  leave 
Five  ploughlands,  my  dead  father's  heritage  ; 
My  second,  Otho,  ploughlands  five  shall  hold, 
Which  my  good  right  hand  won  in  valiant  strife  ; 
All  else  I  own,  in  lands  and  goods  and  wealth, 
To  Gamelyn,  my  youngest,  I  devise  ; 
And  I  beseech  you,  for  the  love  of  God, 
Forsake  him  not,  but  guard  his  helpless  youth 
And  let  him  not  be  plundered  of  his  wealth.'  " 

Then  Sir  John,  satisfied  with  having  proclaimed  his 
will,  died  with  Christian  resignation,  leaving  his  little 
son  Gamelyn  in  the  power  of  the  cruel  eldest  brother, 
now,  in  his  turn,  Sir  John. 
206 


Go  and  do  your  own  baking!" 


GAMELYN  RESISTS 

The  Cruel  Eldest  Son 

Since  the  boy  was  a  minor,  the  new  knight,  as 
natural  guardian,  assumed  the  control  of  Gamelyn's 
land,  vassals,  education,  and  nurture  ;  and  full  evilly  he 
discharged  his  duties,  for  he  clothed  and  fed  him  badly, 
and  neglected  his  lands,  so  that  his  parks  and  houses, 
his  farms  and  villages,  fell  into  ruinous  decay.  The  boy, 
when  he  grew  older,  noticed  this  and  resented  it,  but 
did  not  realize  the  power  in  his  own  broad  limbs  and 
mighty  sinews  to  redress  his  wrongs,  though  by  the 
time  he  fully  understood  his  injuries  no  man  would 
dare  to  face  him  in  fight  when  he  was  angry,  so  strong 
a  youth  had  he  become. 

Gamelyn  Resists 

While  Gamelyn,  one  day,  walking  in  the  hall,  mused 
on  the  ruin  of  all  his  inheritance,  Sir  John  came  bluster- 
ing in,  and,  seeing  him,  called  out :  "  How  now  :  is 
dinner  ready  ?"  Enraged  at  being  addressed  as  if  he 
were  a  mere  servant,  he  replied  angrily  :  "  Go  and  do 
your  own  baking  ;  I  am  not  your  cook." 

Sir  John  almost  doubted  the  evidence  of  his  ears. 
"  What,  my  dear  brother,  is  that  the  way  to  answer  ? 
Thou  hast  never  addressed  me  so  before  ! " 

"  No,"  replied  Gamelyn  ;  "  until  now  I  have  never 
considered  all  the  wrong  you  have  done  me.  My  parks 
are  broken  open,  my  deer  are  driven  off;  you  have 
deprived  me  of  my  armour  and  my  steeds  ;  all  that  my 
father  bequeathed  to  me  is  falling  into  ruin  and  decay. 
God's  curse  upon  you,  false  brother  !  " 

Sir  John  was  now  enraged  beyond  all  measure,  and 
shouted  :  "  Stand  still,  vagabond,  and  hold  thy  peace  ! 
What  right  hast  thou  to  speak  of  land  or  vassals  ?  Thou 
shalt  learn  to  be  grateful  for  food  and  raiment." 

*>; 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  A  curse  upon  him  that  calls  me  vagabond  !     I  am 
no  worse  than  yourself ;  I  am  the  son  of  a  lady  and  a 
good  knight." 

Gamelyn  Terrifies  the  Household 

In  spite  of  all  his  anger,  Sir  John  was  a  cautious  man, 
with  a  prudent  regard  for  his  own  safety.  He  would 
not  risk  an  encounter  with  Gamelyn,  but  summoned 
his  servants  and  bade  them  beat  him  well,  till  he  should 
learn  better  manners.  But  when  the  boy  understood 
his  brother's  intention  he  vowed  that  he  would  not  be 
beaten  alone — others  should  suffer  too,  and  Sir  John 
not  the  least.  Thereupon,  leaping  on  to  the  wall,  he 
seized  a  pestle  which  lay  there,  and  so  boldly  attacked 
the  timid  servants,  though  they  were  armed  with  staves, 
that  he  drove  them  in  flight,  and  laid  on  furious  strokes 
which  quenched  the  small  spark  of  courage  in  them. 
Sir  John  had  not  even  that  small  amount  of  bravery  : 
he  fled  to  a  loft  and  barred  the  door,  while  Gamelyn 
cleared  the  hall  with  his  pestle,  and  scoffed  at  the 
cowardly  grooms  who  fled  so  soon  from  the  strife  they 
had  begun.  When  he  sought  for  his  brother  he  could 
not  see  him  at  first,  but  afterwards  perceived  his  sorry 
countenance  peeping  from  a  window.  "  Brother,"  said 
Gamelyn,  "  come  a  little  nearer,  and  I  will  teach  you 
how  to  play  with  staff  and  buckler." 

"  Nay,  by  St.  Richard,  I  will  not  descend  till  thou 
hast  put  down  that  pestle.  Brother,  be  no  more 
enraged,  and  I  will  make  peace  with  thee.  I  swear  it 
by  the  grace  of  God  !  " 

"I  was  forced  to  defend  myself,"  said  Gamelyn, 
"or  your  menials  would  have  injured  and  degraded 
me  :  I  could  not  let  grooms  beat  a  good  knight's 
son  ;  but  now  grant  me  one  boon,  and  we  shall  soon 
be  reconciled." 
208 


A  WRESTLING  MATCH 

Sir  John's  Guile 

"  Yes,  certainly,  brother  ;  ask  thy  boon,  and  I  will 
grant  it  readily.  But  indeed  I  was  only  testing  thee, 
ror  thou  art  so  young  that  I  doubted  thy  strength  and 
manliness.  It  was  only  a  pretence  of  beating  that  I 
meant." 

"  This  is  my  request,"  said  the  boy  :  "  if  there  is 
to  be  peace  between  us  you  must  surrender  to  me  all 
that  my  father  bequeathed  me  while  he  was  alive." 

To  this  Sir  John  consented  with  apparent  willing- 
ness, and  even  promised  to  repair  the  decayed  mansions 
and  restore  the  lands  and  farms  to  their  former  pros- 
perity ;  but  though  he  feigned  content  with  the  agree- 
ment and  kissed  his  brother  with  outward  affection 
yet  he  was  inwardly  meditating  plans  of  treachery 
against  the  unsuspecting  youth. 

A  "Wrestling  Match 

Shortly  after  this  quarrel  between  the  brothers  a 
wrestling  competition  was  announced,  the  winner  of 
which  would  become  the  owner  of  a  fine  ram  and  a  ring 
of  gold,  and  Gamelyn  determined  to  try  his  powers. 
Accordingly  he  begged  the  loan  of  "a  little  courser" 
from  Sir  John,  who  offered  him  his  choice  of  all  the 
steeds  in  the  stable,  and  then  curiously  questioned 
him  as  to  his  errand.  The  lad  explained  that  he 
wished  to  compete  in  the  wrestling  match,  hoping  to 
win  honour  by  bearing  away  the  prize  ;  then,  springing 
on  the  beautiful  courser  that  was  brought  him  ready 
saddled,  he  spurred  his  horse  and  rode  away  merrily, 
while  the  false  Sir  John  locked  the  gate  behind  him, 
praying  that  he  might  get  his  neck  broken  in  the 
contest.  The  boy  rode  along,  rejoicing  in  his  youth 
and  strength,  singing  as  he  went,  till  he  drew  near  the 

209 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

appointed  place,  and  then  he  suddenly  heard  a  man's 
voice  lamenting  aloud  and  crying, "  Wellaway  !  Alas  !  " 
and  saw  a  venerable  yeoman  wringing  his  hands. 
"Good  man,"  said  Gamely n,  "why  art  thou  in  such 
distress  ?  Can  no  man  help  thee  ?  " 

A  Dreaded  Champion 

"  Alas  ! "  said  the  yeoman.  "  Woe  to  the  day  on 
which  I  was  born  !  The  champion  wrestler  here  has 
overthrown  my  two  stalwart  sons,  and  unless  God 
help  them  they  must  die  of  their  grievous  hurts.  I 
would  give  ten  pounds  to  find  a  man  to  avenge  on 
him  the  injuries  done  to  my  dear  sons." 

"Good  man,  hold  my  horse  while  my  groom  takes 
my  coat  and  shoes,  and  I  will  try  my  luck  and  strength 
against  this  doughty  champion." 

'"Thank  God  1 "  said  the  yeoman.  " I  will  do  it  at 
once  ;  I  will  guard  thy  coat  and  shoes  and  good  steed 
safely — and  may  Jesus  Christ  speed  thee  well !  " 

Gamelyn  Enters 

When  Gamelyn  entered  the  ring,  barefooted  and 
stripped  for  wrestling,  all  men  gazed  curiously  at  the 
rash  youth  who  dared  to  challenge  the  stalwart  champion, 
and  the  great  man  himself,  rising  from  the  ground, 
strolled  across  to  meet  Gamelyn  and  said  haughtily  : 
"  Who  is  thy  father,  and  what  is  thy  name  ?  Thou 
art,  forsooth,  a  young  fool  to  come  here  !  " 

Gamelyn  answered  equally  haughtily :  "  Thou 
knewest  well  my  father  while  he  lived  :  he  was  Sir 
John  of  the  Marches,  and  I  am  his  youngest  son, 
Gamelyn." 

The  champion  replied  :    "  Boy,  I   knew  thy  father 
well  in  his  lifetime,  and  I  have  heard  of  thee,  and 
nothing  good  :  thou  hast  always  been  in  mischief." 
210 


GAMELYN  DEFEATS  THE  CHAMPION 

"  Now  I  am  older  thou  shalt  know  me  better,"  said 
Gamelyn. 

Defeats  the  Champion 

The  wrestling  had  lasted  till  late  in  the  evening,  and 
the  moon  was  shining  on  the  scene  when  Gamelyn  and 
the  champion  began  their  struggle.  The  wrestler  tried 
many  wily  tricks,  but  the  boy  was  ready  for  them  all, 
and  stood  steady  against  all  that  his  opponent  could  do. 
Then,  in  his  turn,  he  took  the  offensive,  grasped  his 
adversary  round  the  waist,  and  cast  him  so  heavily  to 
the  ground  that  three  ribs  were  broken,  and  his  left 
arm.  Then  the  victor  said  mockingly  : 

"  Shall  we  count  that  a  cast,  or  not  reckon  it  ?  " 

"  By  heaven  !  whether  it  be  one  or  no,  any  man  in  thy 
hand  will  never  thrive,"  said  the  champion  painfully. 

The  yeoman,  who  had  watched  the  match  with  great 
anxiety,  now  broke  out  with  blessings  :  "  Blessed  be 
thou,  young  sir,  that  ever  thou  wert  born  !  "  and  now 
taunting  the  fallen  champion,  said  :  "  It  was  young 
'  Mischief  who  taught  thee  this  game." 

"  He  is  master  of  us  all,"  said  the  champion.  "  In 
all  my  years  of  wrestling  I  have  never  been  mishandled 
so  cruelly." 

Now  the  victor  stood  in  the  ring,  ready  for  more 
wrestling,  but  no  man  would  venture  to  compete  with 
him,  and  the  two  judges  who  kept  order  and  awarded 
the  prizes  bade  him  retire,  for  no  other  competitor 
could  be  found  to  face  him. 

But  he  was  a  little  disappointed  at  this  easy  victory. 

"Is  the  fair  over  ?  Why,  I  have  not  half  sold  my 
wares,"  he  said. 

The  champion  was  still  capable  of  grim  jesting. 
"  Now,  as  I  value  my  life,  any  purchaser  of  your  wares 
is  a  fool ;  you  sell  so  dearly." 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  Not  at  all,"  broke  in  the  yeoman  ;  "  you  have  bought 
your  share  full  cheap,  and  made  a  good  bargain." 

He  Wins  the  Prizes 

While  this  short  conversation  had  been  going  on  the 
judges  had  returned  to  their  seats,  and  formally  awarded 
the  prize  to  Gamelyn,  and  now  came  to  him,  bearing 
the  ram  and  the  ring  for  his  acceptance. 

Gamelyn  took  them  gladly,  and  went  home  the  next 
morning,  followed  by  a  cheering  crowd  of  admirers  ; 
but  when  the  cowardly  Sir  John  saw  the  people  he 
bolted  the  castle  doors  against  his  more  favourite  and 
successful  brother. 

He  Overcomes  his  Brother's  Servants 

The  porter,  obeying  his  master's  commands,  refused 
Gamelyn  entrance ;  and  the  youth,  enraged  at  this 
insult,  broke  down  the  door  with  one  blow,  caught  the 
fleeing  porter,  and  flung  him  down  the  well  in  the 
courtyard.  His  brother's  servants  fled  from  his  anger, 
and  the  crowd  that  had  accompanied  him  swarmed 
into  courtyard  and  hall,  while  the  knight  took  refuge  in 
a  little  turret. 

"Welcome  to  you  all,"  said  Gamelyn.  "We  will  be 
masters  here  and  ask  no  man's  leave.  Yesterday  I  left 
five  tuns  of  wine  in  the  cellar  ;  we  will  drain  them  dry 
before  you  go.  If  my  brother  objects  (as  he  well  may, 
for  he  is  a  miser)  1  will  be  butler  and  caterer  and 
manage  the  whole  feast.  Any  person  who  dares  to 
abject  may  join  the  porter  in  the  well." 

Naturally  no  objections  were  raised,  and  Gamelyn  and 
his  friends  held  high  revel  for  a  week,  while  Sir  John 
lay  hidden  in  his  turret,  terrified  at  the  noise  and 
revelry,  and  dreading  what  his  brother  might  do  to 
him  now  he  had  so  great  a  following. 
212 


GAMELYN  CONSENTS  TO  BE  BOUND 

A   Reckoning  with  Sir  John 

However,  the  guests  departed  quietly  on  the  eighth 
day,  leaving  Gamelyn  alone,  and  very  sorrowful,  in  the 
hall  where  he  had  held  high  revel.  As  he  stood  there, 
musing  sadly,  he  heard  a  timid  footstep,  and  saw  his 
brother  creeping  towards  him.  When  he  had  attracted 
Gamelyn's  attention  he  spoke  out  loudly  :  "Who  made 
thee  so  bold  as  to  destroy  all  my  household  stores  ?  " 

"  Nay,  brother,  be  not  wroth,"  said  the  youth  quietly. 
"  If  I  have  used  anything  I  have  paid  for  it  fully  before- 
hand. For  these  sixteen  years  you  have  had  full  use 
and  profit  of  fifteen  good  ploughlands  which  my  father 
left  me  ;  you  have  also  the  use  and  increase  of  all  my 
cattle  and  horses  ;  and  now  all  this  past  profit  I  abandon 
to  you,  in  return  for  the  expense  of  this  feast  of  mine." 

Then  said  the  treacherous  Sir  John  :  "  Hearken, 
my  dear  brother :  I  have  no  son,  and  thou  shalt  be  my 
heir — I  swear  by  the  holy  St.  John." 

"  In  faith,"  said  Gamelyn,  "  if  that  be  the  case,  and  if 
this  offer  be  made  in  all  sincerity,  may  God  reward 
you  1  "  for  it  was  impossible  for  his  generous  disposition 
to  suspect  his  brother  of  treachery  and  to  fathom  the 
wiles  of  a  crafty  nature  ;  hence  it  happened  that  he  was 
so  soon  and  easily  beguiled. 

Gamelyn  Allows  Himself  to  be  Chained 

Sir  John  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  said  doubtfully: 
"  There  is  one  thing  I  must  tell  you,  Gamelyn.  When 
you  threw  my  porter  into  the  well  I  swore  in  my  wrath 
that  I  would  have  you  bound  hand  and  foot.  That 
is  impossible  now  without  your  consent,  and  I  must  be 
forsworn  unless  you  will  let  yourself  be  bound  for  a 
moment,  as  a  mere  form,  just  to  save  me  from  the  sin 
of  perjury." 

213 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

So  sincere  Sir  John  seemed,  and  so  simple  did  the 
whole  thing  appear,  that  Gamelyn  consented  at  once. 
"  Why,  certainly,  brother,  you  shall  not  be  forsworn  for 
my  sake."  So  he  sat  down,  and  the  servants  bound  him 
hand  and  foot  ;  and  then  Sir  John  looked  mockingly  at 
him  as  he  said  :  "  So  now,  my  fine  brother,  I  have  you 
caught  at  last."  Then  he  bade  them  bring  fetters  and 
rivet  them  on  Gamelyn's  limbs,  and  chain  him  fast  to  a 
post  in  the  centre  of  the  hall.  Then  he  was  placed  on 
his  feet  with  his  back  to  the  post  and  his  hands  manacled 
behind  him,  and  as  he  stood  there  the  false  brother  told 
every  person  who  entered  that  Gamelyn  had  suddenly 
gone  mad,  and  was  chained  for  safety's  sake,  lest  he  should 
do  himself  or  others  some  deadly  hurt.  For  two  long 
days  and  nights  he  stood  there  bound,  with  no  food  or 
drink,  and  grew  faint  with  hunger  and  weariness,  for 
his  fetters  were  so  tight  that  he  could  not  sit  or  lie 
down  ;  bitterly  he  lamented  the  carelessness  which  made 
him  fall  such  an  easy  prey  to  his  treacherous  brother's 
designs. 

Adam  Spencer  to  the  Rescue 

When  all  others  had  left  the  hall  Gamelyn  appealed 
to  old  Adam  Spencer,  the  steward  of  the  household, 
a  loyal  old  servant  who  had  known  Sir  John  of  the 
Marches,  and  had  watched  the  boy  grow  up.  "  Adam 
Spencer,"  quoth  he, ."  unless  my  brother  is  minded  to 
slay  me,  I  am  kept  fasting  too  long.  I  beseech  thee, 
for  the  great  love  my  father  bore  thee,  get  the  keys  and 
release  me  from  my  bonds.  I  will  share  all  my  free 
land  with  thee  if  thou  wilt  help  me  in  this  distress." 

The  poor  old  servant  was  greatly  perplexed.  He  knew 
not  how  to  reconcile  his  grateful  loyalty  to  his  dead  master 
with  the  loyalty  due  to  his  present  lord,  and  he  said 
doubtfully  :  "  I  have  served  thy  brother  for  sixteen  years, 
"4 


Lords,  for  Christ's  sake  help  poor  Gamelyn  out  of  prison!"    214 


A  PLAN  OF  ESCAPE 

and  if  I  release  thee  now  he  will  rightly  call  me  a  traitor." 
"  Ah,  Adam  !  thou  wilt  find  him  a  false  rogue  at  the  last, 
as  I  have  done.  Release  me,  dear  friend  Adam,  and  1 
will  be  true  to  my  agreement,  and  will  keep  my  covenant 
to  share  my  land  with  thee."  By  these  earnest  words 
the  steward  was  persuaded,  and,  waiting  till  Sir  John 
was  safely  in  bed,  managed  to  obtain  possession  of  the 
keys  and  release  Gamelyn,  who  stretched  his  arms  and 
legs  and  thanked  God  for  his  liberty.  "  Now,"  said  he, 
"  if  I  were  but  well  fed  no  one  in  this  house  should 
bind  me  again  to-night."  So  Adam  took  him  to  a 
private  room  and  set  food  before  him ;  eagerly  he 
ate  and  drank  till  his  hunger  was  satisfied  and  he  began 
to  think  of  revenge.  "  What  is  your  advice,  Adam  ? 
Shall  I  go  to  my  brother  and  strike  off  his  head  ?  He 
well  merits  it." 

A  Plan  of  Escape 

"  No,"  answered  Adam,  "  I  know  a  better  plan  than 
that.  Sir  John  is  to  give  a  great  feast  on  Sunday  to 
many  Churchmen  and  prelates  ;  there  will  be  present  a 
great  number  of  abbots  and  priors  and  other  holy  men. 
Do  you  stand  as  if  bound  by  your  post  in  the  hall,  and 
beseech  them  to  release  you.  If  they  will  be  surety  for 
you,  your  liberty  will  be  gained  with  no  blame  to  me  ;  if 
they  all  refuse,  you  shall  cast  aside  the  unlocked  chains, 
and  you  and  I,  with  two  good  staves,  can  soon  win  your 
freedom.  Christ's  curse  on  him  who  fails  his  comrade  !  " 

"  Yes,"  quoth  Gamelyn,  "  evil  may  I  thrive  if  I  fail 
in  my  part  of  the  bargain  !  But  if  we  must  needs  help 
them  to  do  penance  for  their  sins,  you  must  warn  me, 
brother  Adam,  when  to  begin." 

"By  St.  Charity,  master,  I  will  give  you  good 
warning.  When  I  wink  at  you  be  ready  to  cast  away 
your  fetters  at  once  and  come  to  me." 

"5 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

"  This  is  good  advice  of  yours,  Adam,  and  blessings 
on  your  head.  If  these  haughty  Churchmen  refuse 
to  be  surety  for  me  I  will  give  them  good  strokes  in 
payment." 

A  Great  Feast 

Sunday  came,  and  after  mass  many  guests  thronged 
to  the  feast  in  the  great  hall  ;  they  all  stared  curiously 
at  Gamelyn  as  he  stood  with  his  hands  behind  him, 
apparently  chained  to  his  post,  and  Sir  John  explained 
sadly  that  he,  after  slaying  the  porter  and  wasting  the 
household  stores,  had  gone  mad,  and  was  obliged  to  be 
chained,  for  his  fury  was  dangerous.  The  servants 
carried  dainty  dishes  round  the  table,  and  beakers  of 
rich  wines,  but  though  Gamelyn  cried  aloud  that  he 
was  fasting  no  food  was  brought  to  him.  Then  he 
spoke  pitifully  and  humbly  to  the  noble  guests : 
"Lords,  for  Christ's  sake  help  a  poor  captive  out  of 
prison."  But  the  guests  were  hard-hearted,  and  answered 
cruelly,  especially  the  abbots  and  priors,  who  had  been 
deceived  by  Sir  John's  false  tales.  So  harshly  did  they 
reply  to  the  youth's  humble  petition  that  he  grew  angry. 
"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  that  is  all  the  answer  I  am  to  have  to 
my  prayer  !  Now  I  see  that  I  have  no  friends.  Cursed 
be  he  that  ever  does  good  to  abbot  or  prior  1 " 

The  Banquet  Disturbed 

Adam  Spencer,  busied  about  the  removal  of  the  cloth, 
looked  anxiously  at  Gamelyn,  and  saw  how  angry  he 
grew.  He  thought  little  more  of  his  service,  but,  making 
a  pretext  to  go  to  the  pantry,  brought  two  good  oak  staves, 
and  stood  them  beside  the  hall  door.  Then  he  winked 
meaningly  at  Gamelyn,  who  with  a  sudden  shout  flung 
off  his  chains,  rushed  to  the  hall  door,  seized  a  staff, 
and  began  to  lay  about  him  lustily,  whirling  his  weapon 
116 


THE  SHERIFFS  MEN  APPEAR 

as  lightly  as  if  it  had  been  a  holy-water  sprinkler. 
There  was  a  dreadful  commotion  in  the  hall,  for  the 
portly  Churchmen  tried  to  escape,  but  the  mere  laymen 
loved  Gamelyn,  and  drew  aside  to  give  him  free  play, 
so  that  he  was  able  to  scatter  the  prelates.  Now  he 
had  no  pity  on  these  cruel  Churchmen,  as  they  had  been 
without  pity  for  him  ;  he  knocked  them  over,  battered 
them,  broke  their  arms  and  legs,  and  wrought  terrible 
havoc  among  them  ;  and  during  this  time  Adam 
Spencer  kept  the  door  so  that  none  might  escape. 
He  called  aloud  to  Gamelyn  to  respect  the  sanctity 
of  men  of  Holy  Church  and  shed  no  blood,  but  if  he 
should  by  chance  break  arms  and  legs  there  would  be 
no  sacrilege,  because  no  blood  need  be  shed. 

Sir  John  in  Chains 

Thus  Gamelyn  worked  his  will,  laying  hands  on 
monks  and  friars,  and  sent  them  home  wounded  in 
carts  and  waggons,  while  some  of  them  muttered : 
"  We  were  better  at  home,  with  mere  bread  and  water, 
than  here  where  we  have  had  such  a  sorry  feast !  "  Then 
Gamelyn  turned  his  attention  to  his  false  brother,  who 
had  been  unable  to  escape,  seized  him  by  the  neck, 
broke  his  backbone  with  one  blow  from  his  staff,  and 
thrust  him,  sitting,  into  the  fetters  that  yet  hung  from 
the  post  where  Gamelyn  had  stood.  "  Sit  there,  brother, 
and  cool  thy  blood,"  said  Gamelyn,  as  he  and  Adam 
sat  down  to  a  feast,  at  which  the  servants  waited  on 
them  eagerly,  partly  from  love  and  partly  from  fear. 

The  Sheriffs  Men  Appear 

Now  the  sheriff  happened  to  be  only  five  miles  away, 
and  soon  heard  the  news  of  this  disturbance,  and  how 
Gamelyn  and  Adam  had  broken  the  king's  peace  ;  and, 
as    his  duty   was,   he  determined   to   arrest   the  law- 
si? 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

breakers.  Twenty-four  of  his  best  men  were  sent  to 
the  castle  to  gain  admittance  and  arrest  Gamelyn  and 
his  steward  ;  but  the  new  porter,  a  devoted  adherent 
of  Gamelyn,  denied  them  entrance  till  he  knew  their 
errand  ;  when  they  refused  to  tell  it,  he  sent  a  servant 
to  rouse  Gamelyn  and  warn  him  that  the  sheriff's 
men  stood  before  the  gate. 

"  Then  answered  Gamelyn  :  '  Good  porter,  go  ; 
Delay  my  foes  with  fair  speech  at  the  gate 
Till  I  relieve  thee  with  some  cunning  wile. 
If  I  o'erlive  this  strait,  I  will  requite 
Thy  truth  and  loyalty.     Adam,'  quoth  he, 
'  Our  foes  are  on  us,  and  we  have  no  friend — 
The  sheriffs  men  surround  us,  and  have  sworn 
A  mighty  oath  to  take  us  :  we  must  go 
Whither  our  safety  calls  us.'     He  replied  : 
'  Go  where  thou  wilt,  I  follow  to  the  last 
Or  die  forlorn  :  but  this  proud  sheriff's  troop 
Will  flee  before  our  onset,  to  the  fens.'  " 

The  Sheriff  Arrives 

As  Gamelyn  and  Adam  looked  round  for  weapons 
the  former  saw  a  cart-staff,  a  stout  post  used  for  prop- 
ping up  the  shafts  ;  this  he  seized,  and  ran  out  at  the 
little  postern  gate,  followed  by  Adam  with  another 
staff.  They  caught  the  sheriff's  twenty-four  bold  men 
in  the  rear,  and  when  Gamelyn  had  felled  three,  and 
Adam  two,  the  rest  took  to  their  heels.  "  What !  "  said 
Adam  as  they  fled.  "  Drink  a  draught  ot  my  good  wine  ! 
I  am  steward  here."  "  Nay,"  they  shouted  back  ;  "  such 
wine  as  yours  scatters  a  man's  brains  far  too  thoroughly." 
Now  this  little  fray  was  hardly  ended  before  the  sheriff 
came  in  person  with  a  great  troop.  Gamelyn  knew  not 
what  to  do,  but  Adam  again  had  a  plan  ready.  "  Let  us 
stay  no  longer,  but  go  to  the  greenwood :  there  we  shall 
at  least  be  at  liberty."  The  advice  suited  Gamelyn,  and 
each  drank  a  draught  of  wine,  mounted  his  steed,  and 
til 


Then  cheer  thee,  Adam" 


218 


GAMELYN  GOES  TO  THE  GREENWOOD 

lightly  rode  away,  leaving  the  empty  nest  for  the  sheriff, 
with  no  eggs  therein.  However,  that  officer  dismounted, 
entered  the  hall,  and  found  Sir  John  fettered  and  nearly 
dying.  He  released  him,  and  summoned  a  leech,  who 
healed  his  grievous  wound,  and  enabled  him  to  do  more 
mischief. 

Gamelyn  Goes  to  the  Greenwood 

Meanwhile  Adam  wandered  with  Gamelyn  in  the 
greenwood,  and  found  it  very  hard  work,  with  little 
food.  He  complained  aloud  to  his  young  lord : 

"  *  Would  I  were  back  in  mine  old  stewardship — 
Full  blithe  were  I,  the  keys  to  bear  and  keep  ! 
I  like  not  this  wild  wood,  with  wounding  thorns, 
And  nought  of  food  or  drink,  or  restful  ease.' 
*  Ah  !  Adam,'  answered  Gamelyn,  '  in  sooth 
Full  many  a  good  man's  son  feels  bitter  woe  ! 
Then  cheer  thee,  Adam.'  " 

As  they  spoke  sadly  together  Gamelyn  heard  men's 
voices  near  by,  and,  looking  through  the  bushes,  saw 
seven  score  young  men,  sitting  round  a  plentiful  feast, 
spread  on  the  green  grass.  He  rejoiced  greatly,  bidding 
Adam  remember  that  "  Boot  cometh  after  bale,"  and 
pointing  out  to  him  the  abundance  of  provisions  near 
at  hand.  Adam  longed  for  a  good  meal,  for  they  had 
found  little  to  eat  since  they  came  to  the  greenwood. 
At  that  moment  the  master-outlaw  saw  them  in  the 
underwood,  and  bade  his  young  men  bring  to  him 
these  new  guests  whom  God  had  sent :  perchance,  he 
said,  there  were  others  besides  these  two.  The  seven 
bold  youths  who  started  up  to  do  his  will  cried  to 
the  two  new-comers  :  "  Yield  and  hand  us  your  bows 
and  arrows  !  "  "  Much  sorrow  may  he  have  who  yields 
to  you,"  cried  Gamelyn.  "  Why,  with  five  more  ye  would 
be  only  twelve,  and  I  could  fight  you  all."  When  the 

219 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

outlaws  saw  how  boldly  he  bore  himself  they  changed 
their  tone,  and  said  mildly  :  "  Come  to  our  master,  and 
tell  him  thy  desire."  "  Who  is  your  master  ?  "  quoth 
Gamelyn.  "  He  is  the  crowned  king  of  the  outlaws," 
quoth  they ;  and  the  two  strangers  were  led  away  to  the 
chief. 

The  master-outlaw,  sitting  on  a  rustic  throne,  with 
a  crown  of  oak-leaves  on  his  head,  asked  them  their 
business,  and  Gamelyn  replied  :  "  He  must  needs  walk 
in  the  wood  who  may  not  walk  in  the  town.  We  are 
hungry  and  faint,  and  will  only  shoot  the  deer  for  food, 
for  we  are  hard  bestead  and  in  great  danger." 

Gamelyn  Joins  the  Outlaws 

The  outlaw  leader  had  pity  on  their  distress,  and 
gave  them  food  ;  and  as  they  ate  ravenously  the  out- 
laws whispered  one  to  another  :  "  This  is  Gamelyn  ! " 
"  This  is  Gamelyn  !  "  Understanding  all  the  evils 
that  had  befallen  him,  their  leader  soon  made  Gamelyn 
his  second  in  command  ;  and  when  after  three  weeks  the 
outlaw  king  was  pardoned  and  allowed  to  return  home, 
Gamelyn  was  chosen  to  succeed  him  and  was  crowned 
king  of  the  outlaws.  So  he  dwelt  merrily  in  the  forest, 
and  troubled  not  himself  about  the  world  outside. 

The  Law  at  Work 

Meanwhile  the  treacherous  Sir  John  had  recovered, 
and  in  due  course  had  become  sheriff,  and  indicted  his 
brother  for  felony.  As  Gamelyn  did  not  appear  to 
answer  the  indictment  he  was  proclaimed  an  outlaw 
and  wolf's-head,  and  a  price  was  set  upon  his  life. 
Now  his  bondmen  and  vassals  were  grieved  at  this,  for 
they  feared  the  cruelty  of  the  wicked  sheriff;  they 
therefore  sent  messengers  to  Gamelyn  to  tell  him  the 
ill  news,  and  deprecate  his  wrath.  The  youth's  anger 

220 


OTHO  AS  SURETY 

rose  at  the  tidings,  and  he  promised  to  come  and  beard 
Sir  John  in  his  hall  and  protect  his  own  tenants. 

Gamelyn  Arrested 

It  was  certainly  a  stroke  of  rash  daring  thus  to  ven- 
ture into  the  county  where  his  brother  was  sheriff,  but 
he  strode  boldly  into  the  moot-hall,  with  his  hood 
thrown  back,  so  that  all  might  recognise  him,  and  cried 
aloud  :  "  God  save  all  you  lordings  here  present !  But, 
thou  broken-backed  sheriff,  evil  mayst  thou  thrive  ! 
Why  hast  thou  done  me  such  wrong  and  disgrace  as 
to  have  me  indicted  and  proclaimed  an  outlaw  ? " 
Sir  John  did  not  hesitate  to  use  his  legal  powers,  but, 
seeing  his  brother  was  quite  alone,  had  him  arrested 
and  cast  into  prison,  whence  it  was  his  intention  that 
only  death  should  release  him. 

Otho  as  Surety 

All  these  years  the  second  brother,  Otho,  had  lived 
quietly  on  his  own  lands  and  taken  no  heed  of  the 
quarrels  of  the  two  others  ;  but  now,  when  news  came 
to  him  of  Sir  John's  deadly  hatred  to  their  youngest 
brother,  and  Gamelyn's  desperate  plight,  he  was  deeply 
grieved,  roused  himself  from  his  peaceful  life,  and  rode 
to  see  if  he  could  help  his  brother.  First  he  besought 
Sir  John's  mercy  for  the  prisoner,  for  the  sake  of 
brotherhood  and  family  love  ;  but  he  only  replied 
that  Gamelyn  must  stay  imprisoned  till  the  justice 
should  hold  the  next  assize.  Then  Otho  offered  to  be 
bail,  if  only  his  young  brother  might  be  released  from  his 
bonds  and  brought  from  the  dismal  dungeon  where  he 
lay.  To  this  Sir  John  finally  consented,  warning  Otho 
that  if  the  accused  failed  to  appear  before  the  justice 
he  himself  must  suffer  the  penalty  for  the  breach 
of  bail.  "  I  agree,"  said  Otho.  "  Have  him  released  at 

M 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
once,  and  deliver  him  to  me."  Then  Gamelyn  was  set 
free  on  his  brother's  surety,  and  the  two  rode  home 
to  Otho's  house,  talking  sadly  of  all  that  had  befallen, 
and  how  Gamelyn  had  become  king  of  the  outlaws. 
The  next  morning  Gamelyn  asked  Otho's  permission  to 
go  to  the  greenwood  and  see  how  his  young  men  fared, 
but  Otho  pointed  out  so  clearly  how  dreadful  would 
be  the  consequences  to  him  if  he  did  not  return  that 
the  young  man  vowed  : 

«'  *  I  swear  by  James,  the  mighty  saint  of  Spain, 
That  I  will  not  desert  thee,  nor  will  fail 
To  stand  my  trial  on  the  appointed  day, 
If  God  Almighty  give  me  strength  and  health 
And  power  to  keep  my  vow.     I  will  be  there, 
That  I  may  show  what  bitter  hate  Sir  John, 
My  cruel  brother,  holds  against  me.' " 

Gamelyn  Goes  to  the  Woods 

Thereupon  Otho  bade  him  go.  "God  shield  thee 
from  shame  !  Come  when  thou  seest  it  is  the  right 
time,  and  save  us  both  from  blame  and  reproach."  So 
Gamelyn  went  gaily  to  the  merry  greenwood,  and  found 
his  company  of  outlaws  ;  and  so  much  had  they  to  tell 
of  their  work  in  his  absence,  and  so  much  had  he  to 
relate  of  his  adventures,  that  time  slipped  by,  and 
he  soon  fell  again  into  his  former  mode  of  life,  and 
his  custom  of  robbing  none  but  Churchmen,  fat  abbots 
and  priors,  monks  and  canons,  so  that  all  others  spoke 
good  of  him,  and  called  him  the  "courteous  outlaw." 

The  Term  Expires 

Gamelyn  stood  one  day  looking  out  over  the  woods 
and  fields,  and  it  suddenly  came  to  his  mind  with  a 
pang  of  self-reproach  that  he  had  forgotten  his  promise 
to  Otho,  and  the  day  of  the  assize  was  very  near.  He 
called  his  young  men  (for  he  had  learned  not  to  trust 

223 


"Come  from  the  seat  of  justice" 


GAMELYN  IN  THE  COURT 

himself  to  the  honour  or  loyalty  of  his  brother  the 
sheriff),  and  bade  them  prepare  to  accompany  him  to 
the  place  of  assize,  sending  Adam  on  as  a  scout  to  learn 
tidings.  Adam  returned  in  great  haste,  bringing  sad 
news.  The  judge  was  in  his  place,  a  jury  empanelled 
to  condemn  Gamelyn  to  death,  bribed  thereto  by  the 
wicked  sheriff,  and  Otho  was  fettered  in  the  gaol  in 
place  of  his  brother.  The  news  enraged  Gamelyn,  but 
Adam  Spencer  was  even  more  infuriated  ;  he  would 
gladly  have  held  the  doors  of  the  moot-hall  and  slain 
every  person  inside  except  Otho  ;  but  his  master's  sense 
of  justice  was  too  strong  for  that.  "Adam,"  he  said, 
"  we  will  not  do  so,  but  will  slay  the  guilty  and  let  the 
innocent  escape.  I  myself  will  have  some  conversation 
with  the  justice  in  the  hall ;  and  meanwhile  do  ye,  my 
men,  hold  the  doors  fast.  I  will  make  myself  justice  to- 
day, and  thou,  Adam,  shalt  be  my  clerk.  We  will  give  sen- 
tence this  day,  and  God  speed  our  new  work  !  "  All  his 
men  applauded  this  speech  and  promised  him  obedience, 
and  the  troop  of  outlaws  hastened  to  surround  the  hall. 

Gamelyn  in  the  Court 

Once  again  Gamelyn  strode  into  the  moot-hall  in 
the  midst  of  his  enemies,  and  was  recognised  by  all. 
He  released  Otho,  who  said  gently  :  "Brother,  thou 
hast  nearly  overstayed  the  time  ;  the  sentence  has  been 
given  against  me  that  1  shall  be  hanged." 

"  Brother,"  said  Gamelyn,  "  this  day  shall  thy  foes  and 
mine  be  hanged  :  the  sheriff,  the  justice,  and  the  wicked 
jurors."  Then  Gamelyn  turned  to  the  judge,  who  sat  as 
if  paralysed  in  his  seat  of  judgment,  and  said  : 

"  'Come  from  the  seat  of  justice  :  all  too  oft 
Hast  thou  polluted  law's  clear  stream  with  wrong  ; 
Too  oft  hast  taken  reward  against  the  poor  ; 
Too  oft  hast  lent  thine  aid  to  villainy, 

223 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

And  given  judgment  'gainst  the  innocent. 
Come  down  and  meet  thine  own  meed  at  the  bar, 
While  I,  in  thy  place,  give  more  rightful  doom 
And  see  that  justice  dwells  in  law  for  once.'  " 

A  Scene 

The  justice  sat  still,  dumb  with  astonishment,  and 
Gamelyn  struck  him  fiercely,  cut  his  cheek,  and  threw 
him  over  the  bar  so  that  his  arm  broke  ;  and  no  man 
durst  withstand  the  outlaw,  for  fear  of  his  company 
standing  at  the  doors.  The  youth  sat  down  in  the 
judge's  seat,  with  Otho  beside  him,  and  Adam  in  the 
clerk's  desk ;  and  he  placed  in  the  dock  the  false 
sheriff,  the  justice,  and  the  unjust  jurors,  and  accused 
them  of  wrong  and  attempted  murder.  In  order  to 
keep  up  the  forms  of  law,  he  empanelled  a  jury  of 
his  own  young  men,  who  brought  in  a  verdict  of 
"Guilty,"  and  the  prisoners  were  all  condemned  to 
death  and  hanged  out  of  hand,  though  the  false  sheriff- 
attempted  to  appeal  to  the  brotherly  affection  of  which 
he  had  shown  so  little. 

Honour  from  the  King 

After  this  high-handed  punishment  of  their  enemies 
Gamelyn  and  his  brother  went  to  lay  their  case  before 
King  Edward,  and  he  forgave  them,  in  consideration  of 
all  the  wrongs  and  injuries  Gamelyn  had  suffered  ;  and 
before  they  returned  to  their  distant  county  the  king 
made  Otho  sheriff  of  the  county,  and  Gamelyn  chief 
forester  of  all  his  free  forests  ;  his  band  of  outlaws 
were  all  pardoned,  and  the  king  gave  them  posts 
according  to  their  capabilities.  Now  Gamelyn  and  his 
brother  settled  down  to  a  happy,  peaceful  life.  Otho, 
having  no  son,  made  Gamelyn  his  heir,  and  the  latter 
married  a  beauteous  lady,  and  lived  with  her  in  joy  till 
his  life's  end. 


CHAPTER  XI :  WILLIAM  OF 
CLOUDESLEE 

Introduction 

THE  outlaw  of  mediaeval  England  has  always 
possessed  a  potent  charm  for  the  minds  of  less 
rebellious  persons.  No  doubt  now  the  attrac- 
tion has  somewhat  waned,  for  in  the  exploration  of 
distant  lands  and  the  study  of  barbaric  tribes  men  can 
find  that  breadth  of  outlook,  that  escape  from  narrow 
conventionalities,  which  they  could  formerly  gain  only 
by  the  cult  of  the  "  noble  outlaw."  The  romance  of 
life  for  many  a  worthy  citizen  must  have  been  found 
in  secret  sympathy  with  Robin  Hood  and  his  merry 
band  of  banished  men,  robbing  the  purse-proud  to  help 
the  needy  and  gaily  defying  law  and  authority. 

To  the  poor,  however,  the  outlaw  was  something 
more  than  an  easy  entrance  to  the  realms  of  romance  ; 
he  was  a  real  embodiment  of  the  spirit  of  liberty.  Of 
all  the  unjust  laws  which  the  Norman  conquerors  laid 
upon  England,  perhaps  the  most  bitterly  resented  were 
the  forest  laws,  and  resistance  to  them  was  the  most 
popular  form  of  national  independence.  Hence  it 
follows  that  we  find  outlaw  heroes  popular  very  early 
in  our  history — heroes  who  stand  in  the  mind  of  the 
populace  for  justice  and  true  liberty  against  the  oppres- 
sive tyranny  of  subordinate  officials,  and  who  are  always 
taken  into  favour  by  the  king,  the  fount  of  true  justice. 

Famous  Outlaws 

There  is  some  slight  tinge  of  the  "  outlaw  hero  "  in 
Hereward,  but  the  outlaw  period  of  that  patriot's  life 
is  but  an  episode  in  his  defence  of  England  against 
William  the  Norman.  There  is  a  fully  developed  out- 
law hero,  the  ideal  of  the  type,  in  Robin  Hood,  but  he 

225 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

has  been  somewhat  idealized  and  ennobled  by  being 
transformed  into  a  banished  Earl  of  Huntingdon.  Less 
known,  but  equally  heroic,  is  William  of  Cloudeslee, 
the  William  Tell  of  England,  whose  fame  is  that  of  a 
good  yeoman,  a  good  archer,  and  a  good  patriot. 

The  Outlaws 

In  the  green  forest  of  Englewood,  in  the  "North 
Countree,"  not  far  from  the  fortified  town  of  Carlisle, 
dwelt  a  merry  band  of  outlaws.  They  were  not  evil- 
doers, but  sturdy  archers  and  yeomen,  whose  outlawry 
had  been  incurred  only  for  shooting  the  king's  deer. 
Indeed,  to  most  men  of  that  time — that  is,  to  most  men 
who  were  not  in  the  royal  service — the  shooting  of  deer, 
and  the  pursuit  of  game  in  general,  were  not  only 
venial  offences,  but  the  most  natural  thing  in  life.  The 
royal  claim  to  exclusive  hunting  in  the  vast  forests  of 
Epping,  Sherwood,  Needwood,  Barnesdale,  Englewood, 
and  many  others  seemed  preposterous  to  the  yeomen 
who  lived  on  the  borders  of  the  forests,  and  they  took 
their  risks  and  shot  the  deer  and  made  venison  pasty, 
convinced  that  they  were  wronging  no  one  and  risking 
only  their  own  lives.  They  had  the  help  and  sympathy 
of  many/  a  man  who  was  himself  a  law-abiding  citizen, 
as  well  as  the  less  understanding  help  of  the  town  mob 
and  the  labourers  in  the  country. 

The  Leaders 

While  the  outlaws  of  merry  Sherwood  recognised  no 
chief  but  Robin  Hood  and  no  foe  but  the  Sheriff  of 
Nottingham,  the  outlaws  of  Englewood  were  under 
the  headship  of  three  famous  archers,  brothers-in-arms 
sworn  to  stand  by  each  other,  but  not  brothers  in  blood. 
Their  names  were  Adam  Bell,  William  of  Cloudeslee, 
and  Clym  of  the  Cleugh  ;  and  of  the  three  William  of 
226 


WILLIAM   GOES  TO  CARLISLE 

Cloudeslee  alone  was  married.  His  wife,  fair  Alice  of 
Cloudeslee,  dwelt  in  a  strong  house  within  the  walls 
of  Carlisle,  with  her  three  children,  for  they  were  not 
included  in  William's  outlawry.  It  was  possible  thus 
for  her  to  send  her  husband  warning  of  any  attack 
planned  by  the  Sheriff  of  Carlisle  on  the  outlaws,  and  she 
had  saved  him  and  his  comrades  from  surprise  already. 

William  Goes  to  Carlisle 

When  the  blithe  spring  had  come,  and  the  forest  was 
beautiful  with  its  fresh  green  leaves,  William  began  to 
long  for  his  home  and  family ;  he  had  not  ventured 
into  Carlisle  for  some  time,  and  it  was  more  than  six 
months  since  he  had  seen  his  wife's  face.  Little  wondet 
was  it,  then,  that  he  announced  his  intention  of  visiting 
his  home,  at  the  risk  of  capture  by  his  old  enemy  the 
Sheriff.  In  vain  his  comrades  dissuaded  him  from  the 
venture.  Adam  Bell  was  especially  urgent  in  his  advice 
that  William  should  remain  in  the  greenwood. 

"  You  shall  not  go  to  Carlisle,  brother,  by  my  advice, 
nor  with  my  consent.  If  the  sheriff  or  the  justice 
should  know  that  you  are  in  the  town  short  would  be 
your  shrift  and  soon  your  span  of  life  would  end.  Stay 
with  us,  and  we  will  fetch  you  tidings  of  your  wife." 

William  replied  :  "  Nay,  I  must  go  myself ;  I  cannot 
rest  content  with  tidings  only.  If  all  is  well  I  will 
return  by  prime  to-morrow,  and  if  I  fail  you  at  that 
hour  you  may  be  sure  I  am  taken  or  slain  ;  and  I  pray 
you  guard  well  my  family,  if  that  be  so." 

Taking  leave  of  his  brother  outlaws,  William  made 
his  way  unobserved  into  the  town  and  came  to  his  wife's 
dwelling.  It  was  closely  shut,  with  doors  strongly 
bolted,  and  he  was  forced  to  knock  long  on  the  window 
before -his  wife  opened  the  shutter  to  see  who  was  the 
importunate  visitor. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  Let  me  in  quickly,  my  own  Alice,"  he  said.    "  I  have 
come  to  see  you  and  my  three  children.     How  have 
you  fared  this  long  time  ?  " 

"  Alas  ! "  she  replied,  hurriedly  admitting  him,  and 
bolting  the  door  again,  "why  have  you  come  now, 
risking  your  dear  life  to  gain  news  of  us  ?  Know  you 
not  that  this  house  has  been  watched  for  more  than  six 
months,  so  eager  are  the  sheriff  and  the  justice  to 
capture  and  hang  you  ?  I  would  have  come  to  you  in 
the  forest,  or  sent  you  word  of  our  welfare.  I  fear — oh, 
how  I  fear  ! — lest  your  coming  be  known  I  " 

The  Old  "Woman's  Treachery 

"Now  that  I  am  here,  let  us  make  merry,"  quoth 
William.  "  No  man  has  seen  me  enter,  and  I  would 
fain  enjoy  my  short  stay  with  you  and  my  children,  for 
I  must  be  back  in  the  forest  by  prime  to-morrow.  Can 
you  not  give  a  hungry  outlaw  food  and  drink  ? " 

Then  Dame  Alice  bustled  about  and  prepared  the 
best  she  had  for  her  husband ;  and  when  all  was  ready 
a  very  happy  little  family  sat  down  to  the  meal, 
husband  and  wife  talking  cheerily  together,  while  the 
children  watched  in  wondering  silence  the  father  who 
had  been  away  so  long  and  came  to  them  so  seldom. 

There  was  one  inmate  of  the  house  who  saw  in 
William's  return  a  means  of  making  shameful  profit. 
She  was  an  old  bedridden  woman,  apparently  paralysed, 
whom  he  had  rescued  from  utter  poverty  seven  years 
before.  During  all  that  time  she  had  lain  on  a  bed 
near  the  fire,  had  shared  all  the  life  of  the  family,  and 
had  never  once  moved  from  her  couch.  Now,  while 
husband  and  wife  talked  together  and  the  darkness 
deepened  in  the  room,  this  old  impostor  slipped  from 
her  bed  and  glided  stealthily  out  of  the  house. 

IM 


THE  HUE  AND  CRY 

News  Brought  to  the  Sheriff 

It  happened  that  the  king's  assize  was  being  held 
just  then  in  Carlisle,  and  the  sheriff  and  his  staunch 
ally  the  justice  were  sitting  together  in  the  Justice 
Hall.  Thither  this  treacherous  old  woman  hurried 
with  all  speed  and  pushed  into  the  hall,  forcing  her 
way  through  the  crowd  till  she  came  near  the  sheriff. 
"  Ha  !  what  would  you,  good  woman  ? "  asked  he, 
surprised.  "  Sir,  I  bring  tidings  of  great  value." 
"  Tell  your  tidings,  and  I  shall  see  if  they  be  of  value 
or  no.  If  they  are  I  will  reward  you  handsomely." 
"  Sir,  this  night  William  of  Cloudeslee  has  come  into 
Carlisle,  and  is  even  now  in  his  wife's  house.  He  is 
all  alone,  and  you  can  take  him  easily.  Now  what  will 
you  pay  me,  for  I  am  sure  this  news  is  much  to  you  ? " 
"You  say  truth,  good  woman.  That  bold  outlaw  is 
the  worst  of  all  who  kill  the  king's  deer  in  his  forest  of 
Englewood,  and  if  I  could  but  catch  him  I  should  be 
well  content.  Dame,  you  shall  not  go  without  a 
recompense  for  your  journey  here  and  for  your 
loyalty."  The  sheriff  then  bade  his  men  give  the 
old  woman  a  piece  of  scarlet  cloth,  dyed  in  grain, 
enough  for  a  gown,  and  the  treacherous  hag  hid  the 
gift  under  her  cloak,  hastened  away  to  Alice's  house, 
and  slipped  unperceived  into  her  place  again,  hiding  the 
scarlet  cloth  under  the  bed-coverings. 

The  Hue  and  Cry 

Immediately  he  had  heard  of  Cloudeslee's  presence 
in  Carlisle  the  sheriff  sent  out  the  hue  and  cry,  and 
with  all  speed  raised  the  whole  town,  for  though  none 
hated  the  outlaws  men  dared  not  refuse  to  obey  the 
king's  officer.  The  justice,  too,  joined  the  sheriff 
in  the  congenial  task  of  capturing  an  outlaw  whose 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
condemnation  was  already  pronounced.  With  all  the 
forces  at  their  disposal,  sheriff  and  justice  took  their 
way  towards  the  house  where  William  and  Alice, 
unconscious  of  the  danger  besetting  them,  still  talked 
lovingly  together. 

Suddenly  the  outlaw's  ears,  sharpened  by  wood- 
craft and  by  constant  danger,  heard  a  growing  noise 
coming  nearer  and  nearer.  He  knew  the  sound  of 
the  footsteps  of  many  people,  and  among  the  casual 
shuffling  of  feet  recognised  the  ominous  tramp  of 
soldiers. 

"  Wife,  we  are  betrayed,"  cried  William.  "  Hither 
comes  the  sheriff  to  take  me." 

The  Siege  of  the  House 

Alice  ran  quickly  up  to  her  bedchamber  and  opened 
a  window  looking  to  the  back,  and  saw,  to  her  despair, 
that  soldiers  beset  the  house  on  every  side  and  filled  all 
the  neighbouring  streets.  Behind  them  pressed  a  great 
throng  of  citizens,  who  seemed  inclined  to  leave  the 
capture  of  the  outlaw  to  the  guard.  At  the  same 
moment  William  from  the  front  called  to  his  wife  that 
the  sheriff  and  justice  were  besieging  the  house  on 
that  side. 

"  Alas  !  dear  husband,  what  shall  we  do  ? "  cried 
Alice.  "  Accursed  be  all  treason  !  But  who  can  have 
betrayed  you  to  your  foes  ?  Go  into  my  bedchamber, 
dear  William,  and  defend  yourself  there,  for  it  is  the 
strongest  room  in  the  house.  The  children  and  I  will 
go  with  you,  and  I  will  guard  the  door  while  you 
defend  the  windows." 

The  plan  was  speedily  carried  out,  and  while  William 
took  his  stand  by  the  window  Alice  seized  a  pole-axe 
and  stationed  herself  by  the  door.  "No  man  shall 
enter  this  door  alive  while  I  live,"  said  she. 


THE  HOUSE  IS  BURNT 

The  Attack 

From  the  window  Cloudeslee  could  perceive  his 
mortal  enemies  the  justice  and  the  sheriff ;  and  draw- 
ing his  good  longbow,  he  shot  with  deadly  aim  fair  at 
the  breast  of  the  justice.  It  was  well  for  the  latter 
then  that  he  wore  a  suit  of  good  chain-mail  under  his 
robes  ;  the  arrow  hit  his  breast  and  split  in  three  on  the 
mail. 

"Beshrew  the  man  that  clad  you  with  that  mail 
coat !  You  would  have  been  a  dead  man  now  if  your 
coat  had  been  no  thicker  than  mine,"  said  Wnliam. 

"  Yield  yourself,  Cloudeslee,  and  lay  down  your  bow 
and  arrows,"  said  the  justice.  "  You  cannot  escape,  for 
we  have  you  safe." 

"  Never  shall  my  husband  yield  ;  it  is  evil  counsel 
you  give,"  exclaimed  the  brave  wife  from  her  post  at 
the  door. 

The  House  is  Burnt 

The  sheriff,  who  grew  more  angered  as  the  hours 
passed  on  and  Cloudeslee  was  not  taken,  now  cried 
aloud  :  "  Why  do  we  waste  time  trifling  here  ?  The 
man  is  an  outlaw  and  his  life  is  forfeit.  Let  us  burn 
him  and  his  house,  and  if  his  wife  and  children  will 
not  leave  him  they  shall  all  burn  together,  for  it  is 
their  own  choice." 

This  cruel  plan  was  soon  carried  out.  Fire  was  set 
to  the  door  and  wooden  shutters,  and  the  flames  spread 
swiftly ;  the  smoke  rolled  up  in  thick  clouds  into  the 
lofty  bedchamber,  where  the  little  children,  crouching 
on  the  ground,  began  to  weep  for  fear. 

"Alas  !  must  we  all  die  ? "  cried  fair  Alice,  grieving 
for  her  children. 

William  opened  the  window  and  looked  out,  but 

231 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

there  was  no  chance  of  escape  ;  his  foes  filled  every 
street  and  lane  around  the  house.  "  Surely  they  will 
spare  my  wife  and  babes,"  he  thought ;  and,  tearing  the 
sheets  from  the  bed,  he  made  a  rope,  with  which  he  lei 
down  to  the  ground  his  children,  and  last  of  all  his 
weeping  wife. 

He  called  aloud  to  the  sheriff :  "  Sir  Sheriff,  here  have 
I  trusted  to  you  my  chief  treasures.  For  God's  sake  do 
them  no  harm,  but  wreak  all  your  wrath  on  me  !  " 

Gentle  hands  received  Alice  and  her  babes,  and 
friendly  citizens  led  them  from  the  press  ;  but  Alice  went 
reluctantly,  in  utter  grief,  knowing  that  her  husband 
must  be  burnt  with  his  house  or  taken  by  his  foes  ;  but 
for  her  children  she  would  have  stayed  with  him. 
William  continued  his  wonderful  archery,  never  missing 
his  aim,  till  all  his  arrows  were  spent,  and  the  flames 
came  so  close  that  his  bowstring  was  burnt  in  two.  Great 
blazing  brands  came  falling  upon  him  from  the  burning 
roof,  and  the  floor  was  hot  beneath  his  feet.  "  An  evil 
death  is  this  !  "  thought  he.  "  Better  it  were  that  I  should 
take  sword  and  buckler  and  leap  down  amid  my  foes 
and  so  die,  striking  good  blows  in  the  throng  of  enemies, 
than  stay  here  and  let  them  see  me  burn." 

Thereupon  he  leaped  lightly  down,  and  fought  so 
fiercely  that  he  nearly  escaped  through  the  throng,  for 
the  worthy  citizens  of  Carlisle  were  not  anxious  to 
capture  him  ;  but  the  soldiers,  urged  by  the  sheriff  and 
justice,  threw  doors  and  windows  upon  him,  hampered 
his  blows,  and  seized  and  bound  him,  and  cast  him  into 
a  deep  dungeon. 

The  Sheriff  Gives  Sentence 

"Now,  William  of  Cloudeslee,"  quoth  the  sheriff, 
"  you  shall  be  hanged  with  speed,  as  soon  as  I  can  have 
a  new  gallows  made.  So  noted  an  outlaw  merits  no 
132 


William  continued  his  wonderful  archery  "  232 


NEWS  IS  BROUGHT  TO  THE  GREENWOOD 

common  gibbet ;  a  new  one  is  most  fitting.  To-morrow 
at  prime  you  shall  die.  There  is  no  hope  of  rescue,  for 
the  gates  of  the  town  shall  be  shut.  Your  dear  friends, 
Adam  Bell  and  Clym  of  the  Cleugh,  would  be  helpless 
to  save  you,  though  they  brought  a  thousand  more  like 
themselves,  or  even  all  the  devils  in  Hell." 

Early  next  morning  the  justice  arose,  went  to  the 
soldiers  who  guarded  the  gates,  and  forbade  them  to 
open  till  the  execution  was  over  ;  then  he  went  to  the 
market-place  and  superintended  the  erection  of  a  specially 
lofty  gallows,  beside  the  pillory. 

News  is  Brought  to  the  Greenwood 

Among  the  crowd  who  watched  the  gallows  being 
raised  was  a  little  lad,  the  town  swineherd,  who  asked 
a  bystander  the  meaning  of  the  new  gibbet. 

"It  is  put  up  to  hang  a  good  yeoman,  William  ot 
Cloudeslee,  more's  the  pity  !  He  has  done  no  wrong 
but  kill  the  King's  deer,  and  that  merits  not  hanging. 
It  is  a  foul  shame  that  such  injustice  can  be  wrought  in 
the  king's  name." 

The  Tittle  lad  had  often  met  William  of  Cloudeslee 
in  the  forest,  and  had  carried  him  messages  from  his 
wife  ;  William  had  given  the  boy  many  a  dinner  of 
vension,  and  now  he  determined  to  help  his  friend  if  he 
could.  The  gates  were  shut  and  no  man  could  pass 
out,  but  the  boy  stole  along  the  wall  till  he  found  a 
crevice,  by  which  he  clambered  down  outside.  Then  he 
hastened  to  the  forest  of  Englewood,  and  met  Adam 
Bell  and  Clym  of  the  Cleugh. 

"  Come  quickly,  good  yeomen ;  ye  tarry  here  too  long. 
While  you  are  at  ease  in  the  greenwood  your  friend, 
William  of  Cloudeslee,  is  taken,  condemned  to  death,  and 
ready  to  be  hanged.  He  needs  your  help  this  very  hour." 

Adam  Bell  groaned.     "  Ah  1  if  he  had  but  taken  our 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
advice  be  would  have  been  here  in  safety  with  us  now. 
In  the  greenwood  there  is  no  sorrow  or  care,  but  when 
William  went  to  the  town  he  was  running  into  trouble." 
Then,  bending  his  bow,  he  shot  with  unerring  aim  a 
hart,  which  he  gave  to  the  lad  as  recompense  for  his 
labour  and  goodwill. 

The  Outlaws  Go  to  Carlisle 

"  Come,"  said  Clym  to  Adam  fcell,  "  let  us  tarry  no 
longer,  but  take  our  bows  and  arrows  and  see  what  we 
can  do.  By  God's  grace  we  will  rescue  our  brother, 
though  we  may  abide  it  full  dearly  ourselves.  We  will 
go  to  Carlisle  without  delay." 

The  morning  was  fair  as  the  two  yeomen  strode  from 
the  deep  green  shades  of  Englewood  Forest  along  the 
hard  white  road  leading  to  Carlisle  Town.  They  were 
in  time  as  yet,  but  when  they  drew  near  the  wall  they 
were  amazed  to  see  that  no  entrance  or  exit  was  possible  ; 
the  gates  were  shut  fast. 

Stepping  back  into  the  green  thickets  beside  the  road, 
the  two  outlaws  consulted  together.  Adam  Bell  was 
for  a  valiant  attempt  to  storm  the  gate,  but  Clym  sud- 
denly bethought  him  of  a  wiser  plan. 

Clym's  Stratagem 

Said  he  :  "  Let  us  pretend  to  be  messengers  from  the 
king,  with  urgent  letters  to  the  justice.  Surely  that 
should  win  us  admission.  But  alas  I  I  forgot.  How 
can  we  bear  out  our  pretence,  for  I  am  no  learned  clerk. 
I  cannot  write." 

Quoth  Adam  Bell :  "  I  can  write  a  good  clerkly  hand. 
Wait  one  instant  and  I  will  speedily  have  a  letter  written  ; 
then  we  can  say  we  have  the  king's  seal.  The  plan  will 
do  well  enough,  for  I  hold  the  gate-keeper  no  learned 
clerk,  and  this  will  deceive  him." 


Adam  Bell  writes  the  letter 


234 


THE  OUTLAWS  ENTER  THE  TOWN 

Indeed,  the  letter  which  he  quickly  wrote  and  folded 
*nd  sealed  was  very  well  and  clearly  written,  and  ad- 
dressed to  the  Justice  of  Carlisle.  Then  the  two  bold 
outlaws  hastened  up  the  road  and  thundered  on  the 
town  gates. 

They  Enter  the  Town 

So  long  and  loud  they  knocked  that  the  warder  came 
in  great  wrath,  demanding  who  dared  to  make  such 
clamour. 

Adam  Bell  replied  :  "  We  are  two  messengers  come 
straight  from  our  lord  the  king."  Clym  of  the  Cleugh 
added  :  "  We  have  a  letter  for  the  justice  which  we 
must  deliver  into  his  own  hands.  Let  us  in  speedily  to 
perform  our  errand,  for  we  must  return  to  the  king  in 
haste." 

"  No,"  the  warder  replied,  "  that  I  cannot  do.  No 
man  may  enter  these  gates  till  a  false  thief  and  outlaw  be 
safely  hanged.  He  is  William  of  Cloudeslee,  who  has 
long  deserved  death." 

Now  Clym  saw  that  matters  were  becoming  desperate, 
and  time  was  passing  too  quickly,  so  he  adopted  a  more 
violent  tone.  "  Ah,  rascal,  scoundrel,  madman  1  "  quoth 
he.  "  If  we  be  delayed  here  any  longer  thou  shalt  be 
hanged  for  a  false  thief !  To  keep  the  king's  messengers 
waiting  thus  !  Canst  thou  not  see  the  king's  seal  ? 
Canst  thou  not  read  the  address  of  the  royal  letter  ? 
Ah,  blockhead,  thou  shalt  dearly  abide  this  delay  when 
my  lord  knows  thereof." 

Thus  speaking,  he  flourished  the  forged  letter,  with 
its  false  seal,  in  the  porter's  face ;  and  the  man,  seeing 
the  seal  and  the  writing,  believed  what  was  told  him. 
Reverently  he  took  off  his  hood  and  bent  the  knee  to 
the  king's  messengers,  for  whom  he  opened  wide  the 
gates,  and  they  entered,  walking  warily. 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

They  Keep  the  Gates 

"  At  last  we  are  within  Carlisle  walls,  and  glad  thereof 
are  we,"  said  Adam  Bell,  "  but  when  and  how  we  shall 
go  out  again  Christ  only  knows,  who  harrowed  Hell 
and  brought  out  its  prisoners." 

"  Now  if  we  had  the  keys  ourselves  we  should  have 
a  good  chance  of  life,"  said  Clym,  "  for  then  we  could 
go  in  and  out  at  our  own  will."  "Let  us  call  the 
warder,"  said  Adam.  When  he  came  running  at  their 
call  both  the  yeomen  sprang  upon  him,  flung  him  to 
the  ground,  bound  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  him 
into  a  dark  cell,  taking  his  bunch  of  keys  from  his 
girdle.  Adam  laughed  and  shook  the  heavy  keys. 
"Now  I  am  gate-ward  of  merry  Carlisle.  See,  here 
are  my  keys.  I  think  I  shall  be  the  worst  warder  they 
have  had  for  three  hundred  years.  Let  us  bend  our 
bows  and  hold  our  arrows  ready,  and  walk  into  the 
town  to  deliver  our  brother." 

The  Fight  in  the  Marketplace 

When  they  came  to  the  market-place  they  found  a 
dense  crowd  of  sympathizers  watching  pityingly  the 
hangman's  cart,  in  which  lay  William  of  Cloudeslee, 
bound  hand  and  foot,  with  a  rope  round  his  neck. 
The  sheriff  and  the  justice  stood  near  the  gallows,  and 
Cloudeslee  would  have  been  hanged  already,  but  that 
the  sheriff  was  hiring  a  man  to  measure  the  outlaw  for 
his  grave.  "  You  shall  have  the  dead  man's  clothes, 
good  fellow,  if  you  make  his  grave,"  said  he. 

Cloudeslee's  courage  was  still  undaunted.  "  I  have 
seen  as  great  a  marvel  ere  now,"  quoth  he,  "  as  that  a 
man  who  digs  a  grave  for  another  may  lie  in  it  himself, 
in  as  short  a  time  as  from  now  to  prime." 

"  You  speak  proudly,  my  fine  fellow,  but  hanged  you 
236 


THE  MAYOR  OF  CARLISLE 

shall  be,  if  I  do  it  with  my  own  hand,"  retorted  the 
sheriff  furiously. 

Now  the  cart  moved  a  little  nearer  to  the  scaffold,  and 
William  was  raised  up  to  be  ready  for  execution.  As 
he  looked  round  the  dense  mass  of  faces  his  keen  sight 
soon  made  him  aware  of  his  friends.  Adam  Bell  and 
Clym  of  the  Cleugh  stood  at  one  corner  of  the  market- 
place, with  arrow  on  string,  and  their  deadly  aim  bent 
at  the  sheriff  and  justice,  whose  horses  raised  them 
high  above  the  murmuring  throng.  Cloudeslee  showed 
no  surprise,  but  said  aloud  :  "  Lo  !  I  see  comfort,  and 
hope  tofare  well  in  my  journey.  Yet  if  I  might  have 
my  hands  free  I  would  care  little  what  else  befell  me." 

The  Rescue 

Now  Adam  said  quietly  to  Clym  :  "  Brother,  do  you 
take  the  justice,  and  I  will  shoot  the  sheriff.  Let  us 
both  loose  at  once  and  leave  them  dying.  It  is  an 
easy  shot,  though  a  long  one." 

Thus,  while  the  sheriff  yet  waited  for  William  to  be 
measured  for  his  grave,  suddenly  men  heard  the  twang 
of  bowstrings  and  the  whistling  flight  of  arrows  through 
the  air,  and  at  the  same  moment  both  sheriff  and 
justice  fell  writhing  from  their  steeds,  with  the  grey 
goose  feathers  standing  in  their  breasts.  All  the  by- 
standers fled  from  the  dangerous  neighbourhood,  and  left 
the  gallows,  the  fatal  cart,  and  the  mortally  wounded 
officials  alone.  The  two  bold  outlaws  rushed  to  release 
their  comrade,  cut  his  bonds,  and  lifted  him  to  his  feet. 
William  seized  an  axe  from  a  soldier  and  pursued  the 
fleeing  guard,  while  his  two  friends  with  their  deadly 
arrows  slew  a  man  at  each  shot. 

The  Mayor  of  Carlisle 

When  the  arrows  were  all  used  Adam  Bell  and  Clym 

237 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

of  the  Cleugh  threw  away  their  bows  and  took  to 
sword  and  buckler.  The  fight  continued  till  midday, 
for  in  the  narrow  streets  the  three  comrades  protected 
each  other,  and  drew  gradually  towards  the  gate.  Adam 
Bell  still  carried  the  keys  at  his  girdle,  and  they  could 
pass  out  easily  if  they  could  but  once  reach  the  gateway. 
By  this  time  the  whole  town  was  in  a  commotion ;  again 
the  hue  and  cry  had  been  raised  against  the  outlaws,  and 
the  Mayor  of  Carlisle  came  in  person  with  a  mighty 
troop  or  armed  citizens,  angered  now  at  the  fighting  in 
the  streets  of  the  town. 

The  three  yeomen  retreated  as  steadily  as  they  could 
towards  the  gate,  but  the  mayor  followed  valiantly, 
armed  with  a  pole-axe,  with  which  he  clove  Cloudeslee's 
shield  in  two.  He  soon  perceived  the  object  of  the 
outlaws,  and  bade  his  men  guard  the  gates  well,  so  that 
the  three  should  not  escape. 

The  Escape  from  Carlisle 

Terrible  was  the  din  in  the  town  now,  for  trumpets 
blew,  church-bells  were  rung  backward,  women  bewailed 
their  dead  in  the  streets,  and  over  all  resounded  the 
clash  of  arms,  as  the  fighting  drew  nigh  the  gate.  When 
the  gatehouse  came  in  sight  the  outlaws  were  fighting 
desperately,  with  diminishing  strength,  but  the  thought 
of  safety  outside  the  walls  gave  them  force  to  make  one 
last  stand.  With  backs  to  the  gate  and  faces  to  the 
foe,  Adam  and  Clym  and  William  made  a  valiant 
onslaught  on  the  townsfolk,  who  fled  in  terror,  leaving 
a  breathing-space  in  which  Adam  Bell  turned  the  key, 
flung  open  the  great  ponderous  gate,  and  flung  it  to 
again,  when  the  three  had  passed  through. 

Adam  and  the  Keys 

As  Adam  locked  the  door  they  could  hear  inside 


The  fight  at  the  gate 


238 


WILLIAM  AND  HIS  WIFE  MEET 
the  town  the  hurrying  footsteps  of  the  rallying  citizens, 
whose  furious  attack  on  the  great  iron-studded  door 
came  too  late.  The  door  was  locked,  and  the  three 
friends  stood  in  safety  outside,  with  their  pleasant 
forest  home  within  easy  reach.  The  change  of  feeling 
was  so  intense  that  Adam  Bell,  always  the  man  to  seize 
the  humorous  point  of  a  situation,  laughed  lightly. 
He  called  through  the  barred  wicket : 

"  Here  are  your  keys.  I  resign  my  office  as  warder 
— one  half-day's  work  is  enough  for  me  ;  and  as  I 
have  resigned,  and  the  former  gate-ward  is  somewhat 
damaged  and  has  disappeared,  I  advise  you  to  find  a 
new  one.  Take  your  keys,  and  much  good  may  you 
get  from  them.  Next  time  I  advise  you  not  to  stop  an 
honest  yeoman  from  coming  to  see  his  own  wife  and 
have  a  chat  with  her." 

Thereupon  he  flung  the  keys  over  the  gate  on  the 
heads  of  the  crowd,  and  the  three  brethren  slipped 
away  into  the  forest  to  their  own  haunts,  where  they 
found  fresh  bows  and  arrows  in  such  abundance  that 
they  longed  to  be  back  in  fair  Carlisle  with  their  foes 
before  them. 

William  of  Cloudeslee  and  his  Wife  Meet 

While  they  were  yet  discussing  all  the  details  of  the 
rescue  they  heard  a  woman's  pitiful  lament  and  the 
crying  of  little  children.  "  Hark  !  "  said  Cloudeslee, 
and  they  all  heard  in  the  silence  the  words  she  said. 
It  was  William's  wife,  and  she  cried  :  "  Alas  !  why  did 
I  not  die  before  this  day  ?  Woe  is  me  that  my  dear 
husband  is  slain  !  He  is  dead,  and  I  have  no  friend  to 
lament  with  me.  If  only  I  could  see  his  comrades  and 
tell  what  has  befallen  him  my  heart  would  be  eased  of 
some  of  its  pain." 

William,  as  he  listened,  was  deeply  touched,  and 

239 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

walked  gently  to  fair  Alice,  as  she  hid  her  face  in  her 
hands  and  wept.  "Welcome,  wife,  to  the  green- 
wood ! "  quoth  he.  "  By  heaven,  I  never  thought  to 
see  you  again  when  I  lay  in  bonds  last  night."  Dame 
Alice  sprang  up  most  joyously.  "Oh,  all  is  well  with 
me  now  you  are  here  ;  I  have  no  care  or  woe."  "  For 
that  you  must  thank  my  dear  brethren,  Adam  and 
Clym,"  said  he  ;  and  Alice  began  to  load  them  with 
her  thanks,  but  Adam  cut  short  the  expression  of  her 
gratitude.  "  No  need  to  talk  about  a  little  matter  like 
that,"  he  said  gruffly.  "If  we  want  any  supper  we 
had  better  kill  something,  for  the  meat  we  must  eat  is 
yet  running  wild." 

With  three  such  good  archers  game  was  easily  shot, 
and  a  merry  meal  was  quickly  prepared  in  the  green- 
wood, and  all  joyfully  partook  of  venison  and  other 
dainties.  Throughout  the  repast  William  devotedly 
waited  on  his  wife  with  deepest  love  and  reverence,  for 
he  could  not  iforget  how  she  had  defended  him  and 
risked  her  life  to  stand  by  him. 

William's  Proposed^. Visit  to  London 

When  the  meal  was  over,  and  they  reclined  on  the 
green  turf  round  the  fire,  William  began  thoughtfully  : 

"  It  is  in  my  mind  that  we  ought  speedily  to  go  to 
London  and  try  to  win  our  pardon  from  the  king. 
Unless  we  approach  him  before  news  can  be  brought 
from  Carlisle  he  will  assuredly  slay  us.  Let  us  go  at 
once,  leaving  my  dear  wife  and  my  two  youngest  sons 
in  a  convent  here  ;  but  I  would  fain  take  my  eldest  boy 
with  me.  If  all  goes  well  he  can  bring  good  news  to 
Alice  in  her  nunnery,  and  if  all  goes  ill  he  shall  bring 
her  my  last  wishes.  But  I  am  sure  I  am  not  meant  to 
die  by  the  law."  His  brethren  approved  the  plan,  and 
they  took  fair  Alice  and  her  two  youngest  children  to 
140 


THE  KING  AND  THE  OUTLAWS 

the  nunnery,  and  then  the  three  famous  archers  with 
the  little  boy  of  seven  set  out  at  their  best  speed  for 
London,  watching  the  passers-by  carefully,  that  no  news 
of  the  doings  in  Carlisle  should  precede  them  to  the 
king. 

Outlaws  in  the  Royal  Palace 

The  three  yeomen,  on  arriving  in  London,  made 
their  way  at  once  to  the  king's  palace,  and  walked 
boldly  into  the  hall,  regardless  of  the  astonished  and 
indignant  shouts  of  the  royal  porter.  He  followed 
them  angrily  into  the  hall,  and  began  reproaching 
them  and  trying  to  induce  them  to  withdraw,  but  to  no 
purpose.  Finally  an  usher  came  and  said  :  "  Yeomen, 
what  is  your  wish  ?  Pray  tell  me,  and  I  will  help  you 
if  I  can  ;  but  if  you  enter  the  king's  presence  thus 
unmannerly  you  will  cause  us  to  be  blamed.  Tell  me 
now  whence  you  come." 

William  fearlessly  answered  :  "Sir,  we  will  tell  the 
truth  without  deceit.  We  are  outlaws  from  the  king's 
forests,  outlawed  for  killing  the  king's  deer,  and  we 
come  to  beg  for  pardon  and  a  charter  of  peace,  to  show 
to  the  sheriff  of  our  county." 

The  King  and  the  Outlaws 

The  usher  went  to  an  inner  room  and  begged  to 
know  the  king's  will,  whether  he  would  see  these  out- 
laws or  not.  The  king  was  interested  in  these  bold 
yeomen,  who  dared  to  avow  themselves  law-breakers, 
and  bade  men  bring  them  to  audience  with  him.  The 
three  comrades,  with  the  little  boy,  on  being  introduced 
into  the  royal  presence,  knelt  down  and  held  up  their 
hands,  beseeching  pardon  for  their  offences. 

"  Sire,  we  beseech  your  pardon  for  our  breach  of 
your  laws.  We  are  forest  outlaws,  who  have  slain  your 

241 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
fallow  deer  in  many  parts  of  your  royal  forests."     "  Your 
names  ?     Tell  me  at  once,"   said  the  king.     "  Adam 
Bell,  Clym  of  the  Cleugh,  and  William  of  Cloudeslee," 
they  replied. 

The  king  was  very  wrathful.  "  Are  you  those  bold 
robbers  of  whom  men  have  told  me  ?  Do  you  now  dare 
to  come  to  me  for  pardon  ?  On  mine  honour  I  vow  that 
you  shall  all  three  be  hanged  without  mercy,  as  I  am 
crowned  king  of  this  realm  of  England.  Arrest  them 
and  lay  them  in  bonds."  There  was  no  resistance 
possible,  and  the  yeomen  submitted  ruefully  to  their 
arrest.  Adam  Bell  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  As  I  hope 
to  thrive,  this  game  pleases  me  not  at  all,"  he  said. 
"  Sire,  of  your  mercy,  we  beg  you  to  remember  that  we 
came  to  you  of  our  own  free  will,  and  to  let  us  pass 
away  again  as  freely.  Give  us  back  our  weapons  and 
let  us  have  free  passage  till  we  have  left  your  palace  ; 
we  ask  no  more  ;  we  shall  never  ask  another  favour, 
however  long  we  live." 

The  king  was  obdurate,  however  ;  he  only  replied  : 
"  You  speak  proudly  still,  but  you  shall  all  three  be 
hanged." 

The  Queen  Intercedes 

The  queen,  who  was  sitting  beside  her  husband,  now 
spoke  for  the  first  time.  "  Sire,  it  were  a  pity  that  such 
good  yeomen  should  die,  if  they  might  in  any  wise  be 
pardoned."  "  There  is  no  pardon,"  said  the  king.  She 
then  replied  :  "  My  lord,  when  I  first  left  my  native 
land  and  came  into  this  country  as  your  bride  you 
promised  to  grant  me  at  once  the  first  boon  I  asked.  I 
have  never  needed  to  ask  one  until  to-day,  but  now,  sire, 
I  claim  one,  and  I  beg  you  to  grant  it."  "  With  all  my 
heart  ;  ask  your  boon,  and  it  shall  be  yours  willingly." 
"  Then,  I  pray  you,  grant  me  the  lives  of  these  good 
242 


NEWS  COMES  TO  THE  KING 
yeomen."  "  Madam,  you  might  have  had  half  my  king- 
dom, and  you  ask  a  worthless  trifle."  "  Sire,  it  seems 
not  worthless  to  me  ;  I  beg  you  to  keep  your  promise." 
"  Madam,  it  vexes  me  that  you  have  asked  so  little  ; 
yet  since  you  will  have  these  three  outlaws,  take  them." 
The  queen  rejoiced  greatly.  "  Many  thanks,  my  lord 
and  husband.  I  will  be  surety  for  them  that  they 
shall  be  true  men  henceforth.  But,  good  my  lord,  give 
them  a  word  of  comfort,  that  they  may  not  be  wholly 
dismayed  by  your  anger." 

News  Comes  to  the  King 

The  king  smiled  at  his  wife.  "Ah,  madam  !  you 
will  have  your  own  way,  as  all  women  will.  Go, 
fellows,  wash  yourselves,  and  find  places  at  the  tables, 
where  you  shall  dine  well  enough,  even  if  it  be  not  on 
venison  pasty  from  the  king's  own  forests." 

The  outlaws  did  reverence  to  the  king  and  queen,  and 
found  seats  with  the  king's  guard  at  the  lower  tables 
in  the  hall.  They  were  still  satisfying  their  appetites 
when  a  messenger  came  in  haste  to  the  king ;  and  the 
three  North  Countrymen  looked  at  one  another  un- 
easily, for  they  knew  the  man  was  from  Carlisle,  The 
messenger  knelt  before  the  king  and  presented  his 
letters.  "  Sire,  your  officers  greet  you  well." 

"How  fere  they?  How  does  my  valiant  sheriff? 
And  the  prudent  justice  ?  Are  they  well  ? " 

"  Alas  1  my  lord,  they  have  been  slain,  and  many 
another  good  officer  with  them." 

"  Who  hath  done  this  ? "  questioned  the  king 
angrily. 

"  My  lord,  three  bold  outlaws,  Adam  Bell,  Clym  of 
the  Cleugh,  and  William  of  Cloudeslee." 

"What!  these  three  whom  I  have  just  pardoned? 

Ah,  sorely  I  repent  that  I  forgave  them  !    I  would  give 

s  243 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
a  thousand  pounds  if  T  could  have  them  hanged  all 
three  ;  but  I  cannot" 

The  King's  Test 

As  the  king  read  the  letters  his  anger  and  surprise 
increased.  It  seemed  impossible  that  three  men  should 
overawe  a  whole  town,  should  slay  sheriff,  justice, 
mayor,  and  nearly  every  official  in  the  town,  forge  a 
royal  letter  with  the  king's  seal,  and  then  lock  the 
gates  and  escape  safely.  There  was  no  doubt  of  the 
fact,  and  the  king  raged  impotently  against  his  own 
foolish  mercy  in  giving  them  a  free  pardon.  It  had 
been  granted,  however,  and  he  could  do  nought  but 
grieve  over  the  ruin  they  had  wrought  in  Carlisle.  At 
last  he  sprang  up,  for  he  could  endure  the  banquet  no 
longer. 

"Call  my  archers  to  go  to  the  butts,"  he  com- 
manded. "I  will  see  these  bold  outlaws  shoot,  and 
try  if  their  archery  is  so  fine  as  men  say." 

Accordingly  the  king's  archers  and  the  queen's 
archers  arrayed  themselves,  and  the  three  yeomen  took 
their  bows  and  looked  well  to  their  silken  bowstrings  ; 
and  then  all  made  their  way  to  the  butts  where  the 
targets  were  set  up.  The  archers  shot  in  turn,  aiming 
at  an  ordinary  target,  but  Cloudeslee  soon  grew  weary 
of  this  childish  sport,  and  said  aloud  :  "  I  shall  never 
call  a  man  a  good  archer  who  shoots  at  a  target  as  large 
as  a  buckler.  We  have  another  sort  of  butt  in  my 
country,  and  that  is  worth  shooting  at." 

"William  of  Cloudeslee's  Archery 

"Make  ready  your  own  butts,"  the  king  com- 
manded, and  the  three  outlaws  went  to  a  bush  in  a 
field  close  by  and  returned  bearing  hazel-rods,  peeled 
and  shining  white.  These  rods  they  set  up  at  four 


William  of  Cloudeslee  and  his  son 


CLOUDESLEE  SHOOTS  THE  APPLE 

hundred  yards  apart,  and,  standing  by  one,  they 
said  to  the  king :  "  We  should  account  a  man  a 
fair  archer  if  he  could  split  one  wand  while  standing 
beside  the  other."  "It  cannot  be  done;  the  feat  is 
too  great,"  exclaimed  the  king.  "Sire,  I  can  .easily 
do  it,"  quoth  Cloudeslee,  and,  taking  aim  very  care- 
fully, he  shot,  and  the  arrow  split  the  wand  in 
two.  "  In  truth,"  said  the  king,  "  you  are  the  best 
archer  I  have  ever  seen.  Can  you  do  greater  won- 
ders?" "Yes,"  quoth  Cloudeslee,  "one  thing  more 
I  can  do,  but  it  is  a  more  difficult  feat.  Neverthe- 
less I  will  try  it,  to  show  you  our  North  Country 
shooting."  "Try,  then,"  the  king  replied;  "but  if 
you  fail  you  shall  be  hanged  without  mercy,  because 
of  your  boasting." 

Cloudeslee  Shoots  the  Apple  from  his  Son*s  Head 

Now  Cloudeslee  stood  for  a  few  moments  as  if 
doubtful  of  himself,  and  the  South  Country  archers 
watched  him,  hoping  for  a  chance  to  retrieve  their  defeat, 
when  William  suddenly  said  :  "  I  have  a  son,  a  dear 
son,  seven  years  of  age.  I  will  tie  him  to  a  stake  and 
place  an  apple  on  his  head.  Then  from  a  distance  of  a 
hundred  and  twenty  yards  I  will  split  the  apple  in  two 
with  a  broad  arrow."  "  By  heaven  !  "  the  king  cried, 
"  that  is  a  dreadful  feat.  Do  as  you  have  said,  or  by 
Him  who  died  on  the  Cross  I  will  hang  you  high.  Do 
as  you  have  said,  but  if  you  touch  one  hair  of  his  head,  or 
the  edge  of  his  gown,  I  will  hang  you  and  your  two  com- 
panions." "  I  have  never  broken  my  pledged  word," 
said  the  North  Country  bowman,  and  he  at  once  made 
ready  for  the  terrible  trial.  The  stake  was  set  in  the 
ground,  the  boy  tied  to  it,  with  his  face  turned  from  his 
father,  lest  he  should  give  a  start  and  destroy  his  aim. 
Cloudeslee  then  paced  the  hundred  and  twenty  yards, 

US 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

anxiously  felt  his  string,  bent  his  bow,  chose  his  broadest 
arrow,  and  fitted  it  with  care. 

The  Last  Shot 

It  was  an  anxious  moment.  The  throng  of  spectators 
felt  sick  with  expectation,  and  many  women  wept  and 
prayed  for  the  father  and  his  innocent  son.  But 
Cloudeslee  showed  no  fear.  He  addressed  the  crowd 
gravely  :  "  Good  folk,  stand  all  as  still  as  may  be.  For 
such  a  shot  a  man  needs  a  steady  hand,  and  your  move- 
ments may  destroy  my  aim  and  make  me  slay  my  son. 
Pray  for  me." 

Then,  in  an  unbroken  silence  of  breathless  sus- 
pense, the  bold  marksman  shot,  and  the  apple  fell 
to  the  ground,  cleft  into  two  absolutely  equal  halves. 
A  cheer  from  every  spectator  burst  forth  deafeningly, 
and  did  not  die  down  till  the  king  beckoned  for 
silence. 

The  King  and  Queen  Show  Favour 

"  God  forbid  that  I  should  ever  be  your  target," 
quoth  he.  "  You  shall  be  my  chief  forester  in  the  North 
Country,  with  daily  wage,  and  daily  right  of  killing 
venison  ;  your  two  brethren  shall  become  yeomen  of 
my  guard,  and  I  will  advance  the  fortunes  ot  your 
family  in  every  way." 

The  queen  smiled  graciously  upon  William,  and 
she  bestowed  a  pension  upon  him,  and  bade  him 
bring  his  wife,  fair  Alice,  to  court,  to  take  up  the 
post  of  chief  woman  of  the  bedchamber  to  the  royal 
children. 

Overwhelmed  with  these  favours,  the  three  yeomen 
became  conscious  of  their  own  offences,  more  than  they 
had  told  to  the  royal  pair ;  their  awakened  consciences 
sent  them  to  a  holy  bishop,  who  heard  their  confessions, 
t46 


THE  KING  AND  QUEEN  SHOW  FAVOUR 

gave  them  penance  and  bade  them  live  well  for  the 
future,  and  then  absolved  them.  When  they  had 
returned  to  Englewood  Forest  and  had  broken  up  the 
outlaw  band  they  came  back  to  the  royal  court,  and 
snent  the  rest  of  their  lives  in  great  favour  with  the 
king  and  queen. 


CHAPTER  XII :  BLACK  COLIN  OF 
LOCH  AWE 

Introduction 

IN  considering  the  hero-myths  of  Scotland  we  are 
at  once  confronted  with  two  difficulties.  The  first, 
and  perhaps  the  greater,  is  this,  that  the  only 
national  heroes  of  Lowland  Scotland  are  actual  historical 
persons,  with  very  little  of  the  mythical  character  about 
them.  The  mention  of  Scottish  heroes  at  once  suggests 
Sir  William  Wallace,  Robert  Bruce,  the  Black  Douglas, 
Sir  Andrew  Barton,  and  many  more,  whose  exploits  are 
matter  of  serious  chronicle  and  sober  record  rather  than 
subject  of  tradition  and  myth.  These  warriors  are  too 
much  in  reach  of  the  fierce  white  searchlight  of  historic 
inquiry  to  be  invested  with  mythical  interest  or  to  show 
any  developments  of  ancient  legend. 

The  second  difficulty  is  of  a  different  nature,  and 
yet  almost  equally  perplexing.  In  the  old  ballads  and 
poems  of  the  Gaelic  Highlands  there  are  mythical 
heroes  in  abundance,  such  as  Fingal  and  Ossian,  Comala, 
and  a  host  of  shadowy  chieftains  and  warriors,  but  they 
are  not  distinctively  Scotch.  They  are  only  Highland 
Gaelic  versions  of  the  Irish  Gaelic  hero-legends,  Scotch 
embodiments  of  Finn  and  Oisin,  whose  real  home  was 
in  Ireland,  and  whose  legends  were  carried  to  the 
Western  Isles  and  the  Highlands  by  conquering  tribes 
of  Scots  from  Erin.  These  heroes  are  at  bottom  Irish, 
the  champions  of  the  Fenians  and  of  the  Red  Branch, 
and  in  the  Scotch  legends  they  have  lost  much  of  their 
original  beauty  and  chivalry. 

The  Highland  Clans 

It  is  rather  in  the  private  history  of  the  country,  as 
it  were,  than  in  its  national  records  that  we  are  likely 
248 


THE  KNIGHT  OF  LOCH  AWE 

to  find  a  hero  who  will  have  something  of  the  mythical 
in  his  story,  something  of  the  romance  of  the  Middle 
Ages.  The  wars  and  jealousies  of  the  clans,  the 
adventures  of  a  chief  among  hostile  tribesmen,  the 
raids  and  forays,  the  loves  and  hatreds  of  rival  families, 
form  a  good  background  for  a  romantic  legend ;  and 
such  a  legend  occurs  in  the  story  of  Black  Colin  of 
Loch  Awe,  a  warrior  of  the  great  Campbell  clan  in  the 
fourteenth  century.  The  tale  is  common  in  one  form 
or  another  to  all  European  lands  where  the  call  of  the 
Crusades  was  heard,  and  the  romantic  Crusading  ele- 
ment has  to  a  certain  extent  softened  the  occasionally 
ferocious  nature  of  Highland  stories  in  general,  so  that 
there  is  no  bloodthirsty  vengeance,  no  long  blood-feud, 
to  be  recorded  of  Black  Colin  Campbell. 

The  Knight  of  Loch  Awe 

During  the  wars  between  England  and  Scotland  in 
the  reigns  of  Edward  I.  and  Edward  II.  one  of  the 
chief  leaders  in  the  cause  of  Scottish  independence  was 
Sir  Nigel  Campbell.  The  Knight  of  Loch  Awe,  as  he 
was  generally  called,  was  a  schoolfellow  and  comrade  of 
Sir  William  Wallace,  and  a  loyal  and  devoted  adherent 
of  Robert  Bruce.  In  return  for  his  services  in  the  war 
of  independence  Bruce  rewarded  him  with  lands  belong- 
ing to  the  rebellious  MacGregors,  including  Glenurchy, 
the  great  glen  at  the  head  of  Loch  Awe  through  whicn 
flows  the  river  Orchy.  It  was  a  wild  and  lonely  dis- 
trict, and  Sir  Nigel  Campbell  had  much  conflict  before 
he  finally  expelled  the  MacGregors  and  settled  down 
peaceably  in  Glenurchy.  There  his  son  was  born,  and 
named  Colin,  and  as  years  passed  he  won  the  nickname 
of  Black  Colin,  from  his  swarthy  complexion,  or  possibly 
from  his  character,  which  showed  tokens  of  unusual 
fierceness  "and  determination. 

H9 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Black  Colin's  Youth 

Sir  Nigel  Campbell,  as  all  Highland  chiefs  did., 
sent  his  son  to  a  farmer's  family  for  fosterage.  The 
boy  became  a  child  of  his  foster-family  in  every  way ; 
he  lived  on  the  plain  food  of  the  clansmen,  oatmeal 
porridge  and  oatcake,  milk  from  the  cows,  and  beef 
from  the  herds  ;  he  ran  and  wrestled  and  hunted  with 
his  foster-brothers,  and  learnt  woodcraft  and  warlike 
skill,  broadsword  play  and  the  use  of  dirk  and  buckler, 
from  his  foster-father.  More  than  all,  he  won  a  devoted 
following  in  the  clan,  for  a  man's  foster-parents  were 
almost  dearer  to  him  than  his  own  father  and  mother, 
and  his  foster-brethren  were  bound  to  fight  and  die 
for  him,  and  to  regard  him  more  than  their  own  blood- 
relations.  The  foster-parents  of  Black  Colin  were 
a  farmer  and  his  wife,  Patterson  by  name,  living  at 
Socach,  in  Glenurchy,  and  well  and  truly  they  fulfilled 
their  trust 

He  Goes  on  Crusade 

In  course  of  time  Sir  Nigel  Campbell  died,  and 
Black  Colin,  his  son,  became  Knight  of  Loch  Awe,  and 
lord  of  all  Glenurchy  and  the  country  round.  He  was 
already  noted  for  his  strength  and  his  dark  complexion, 
which  added  to  his  beauty  in  the  eyes  of  the  maidens, 
and  he  soon  found  a  lovely  and  loving  bride.  They 
dwelt  on  the  Islet  in  Loch  Awe,  and  were  very  happy 
for  a  short  time,  but  Colin  was  always  restless,  because 
he  would  fain  do  great  deeds  of  arms,  and  there  was 
peace  just  then  in  the  land. 

At  last  one  day  a  messenger  arrived  at  the  castle  on  the 
Islet  bearing  tidings  that  another  crusade  was  on  foot. 
This  messenger  was  a  palmer  who  had  been  in  the 
Holy  Land,  and  had  seen  all  the  holy  places  in  Jerusalem. 


THE  TOKEN 

He  told  Black  Colin  how  the  Saracens  ruled  the  coun- 
try, and  hindered  men  from  worshipping  at  the  sacred 
shrines  ;  and  he  told  how  he  had  come  home  by  Rome, 
where  the  Pope  had  just  proclaimed  another  Holy 
War.  The  Pope  had  declared  that  his  blessing  would 
rest  on  the  man  who  should  leave  wife  and  home  and 
kinsfolk,  and  go  forth  to  fight  for  the  Lord  against  the 
infidel.  As  the  palmer  spoke  Black  Colin  became 
greatly  moved  by  his  words,  and  when  the  old  man 
had  made  an  end  he  raised  the  hilt  of  his  dirk  and 
swore  by  the  cross  thereon  that  he  would  obey  the 
summons  and  go  on  crusade. 

The  Lady  of  Loch  Awe 

Now  Black  Colin's  wife  was  greatly  grieved,  and 
wept  sorely,  for  she  was  but  young,  and  had  been 
wedded  no  more  than  a  year,  and  it  seemed  to  her  hard 
that  she  must  be  left  alone.  She  asked  her  husband  : 
"  How  far  will  you  go  on  this  errand  ?  "  "I  will  go 
as  far  as  Jerusalem,  if  the  Pope  bids  me,  when  I  have 
come  to  Rome,"  said  he.  "  Alas  !  and  how  long  will 
you  be  away  from  me  ? "  "  That  I  know  not,  but 
it  may  be  for  years  if  the  heathen  Saracens  will  not 
surrender  the  Holy  Land  to  the  warriors  of  the 
Cross."  "  What  shall  I  do  during  those  long,  weary 
years  ? "  asked  she.  "  Dear  love,  you  shall  dwell 
here  on  the  Islet  and  be  Lady  of  Glenurchy  till  I 
return  again.  The  vassals  and  clansmen  shall  obey 
you  in  my  stead,  and  the  tenants  shall  pay  you  their 
rents  and  their  dues,  and  in  all  things  you  shall  hold 
my  land  for  me." 

The  Token 

The  Lady  of  Loch  Awe  sighed  as  she  asked  :  "  But  if 
you  die  away  in  that  distant  land  how  shall  I  know  ? 

251 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

What  will  become  of  me  if  at  last  such  woeful  tidings 
should  be  brought  ?  " 

"  Wait  for  me  seven  years,  dear  wife,"  said  Colin, 
"  and  if  I  do  not  return  before  the  end  of  that  time 
you  may  marry  again  and  take  a  brave  husband  to 
guard  your  rights  and  rule  the  glen,  for  I  shall  be 
dead  in  the  Holy  Land." 

"  That  I  will  never  do.  I  will  be  the  Lady  of  Glen- 
urchy  till  I  die,  or  I  will  become  the  bride  of  Heaven 
and  find  peace  for  my  sorrowing  soul  in  a  nunnery.  No 
second  husband  shall  wed  me  and  hold  your  land.  But 
give  me  now  some  token  that  we  may  share  it  between 
us  ;  and  you  shall  swear  that  on  your  deathbed  you 
will  send  it  to  me  ;  so  shall  I  know  indeed  that  you 
are  no  longer  alive." 

"  It  shall  be  as  you  say,"  answered  Black  Colin, 
and  he  went  to  the  smith  of  the  clan  and  bade  him 
make  a  massive  gold  ring,  on  which  Colin's  name  was 
engraved,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe. 
Then,  breaking  the  ring  in  two,  Colin  gave  to  his 
wife  the  piece  with  his  name  and  kept  the  other 
piece,  vowing  to  wear  it  near  his  heart  and  only  to 
part  with  it  when  he  should  be  dying.  In  like 
manner  she  with  bitter  weeping  swore  to  keep  her 
half  of  the  ring,  and  hung  it  on  a  chain  round  her 
neck  ;  and  so,  with  much  grief  and  great  mourning 
from  the  whole  clan,  Black  Colin  and  his  sturdy 
following  of  Campbell  clansmen  set  out  for  the  Holy 
Land. 

The  Journey 

Sadly  at  first  the  little  band  marched  away  from  all 
their  friends  and  their  homes  ;  bagpipes  played  their 
loudest  marching  tunes,  and  plaids  fluttered  in  the 
breeze,  and  the  men  marched  gallantly,  but  with  heavy 

Ml 


Wait  for  me  seven  years,  dear  wife  " 


THE  CRUSADE 

hearts,  for  they  knew  not  when  they  would  return,  and 
they  feared  to  find  supplanters  in  their  homes  when 
they  came  back  after  many  years.  Their  courage  rose, 
however,  as  the  miles  lengthened  behind  them,  and  by 
the  time  they  had  reached  Edinburgh  and  had  taken 
ship  at  Leith  all  was  forgotten  but  the  joy  of  fighting 
and  the  eager  desire  to  see  Rome  and  the  Pope,  the 
Holy  Land  and  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  Journeying  up 
the  Rhine,  the  Highland  clansmen  made  their  way 
through  Switzerland  and  over  the  passes  of  the  Alps 
down  into  the  pleasant  land  of  Italy,  where  the  splen- 
dour of  the  cities  surpassed  their  wildest  imaginations  ; 
and  so  they  came  at  last,  with  many  other  bands  of 
Crusaders,  to  Rome. 

The  Crusade 

At  Rome  the  Knight  of  Loch  Awe  was  so  fortunate 
as  to  have  an  audience  of  the  Pope  himself,  who  was 
touched  by  the  devotion  which  brought  these  stern 
warriors  so  far  from  their  home.  Black  Colin  knelt  in 
reverence  before  the  aged  pontiff,  whom  he  held  in 
truth  to  be  the  Vicar  of  Christ  on  earth,  and  received 
his  blessing,  and  commands  to  continue  his  journey  to 
Rhodes,  where  the  Knights  of  St.  John  would  give  him 
opportunity  to  fight  for  the  faith.  The  small  band  of 
Campbells  went  on  to  Rhodes,  and  there  took  service 
with  the  Knights,  and  won  great  praise  from  the  Grand 
Master ;  but,  though  they  fought  the  infidel,  and 
exalted  the  standard  of  the  Cross  above  the  Crescent, 
Colin  was  still  not  at  all  satisfied.  He  left  Rhodes 
after  some  years  with  a  much-diminished  band,  and 
made  his  way  as  a  pilgrim  to  Jerusalem.  There  he 
stayed  until  he  had  visited  all  the  shrines  in  the  Holy 
Land  and  prayed  at  every  sacred  spot.  By  this  time 
the  seven  years  of  his  proposed  absence  were  ended, 

253 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

and  he  was  still  far  from  his  home  and  the  dear  glen 
by  Loch  Awe. 

The  Lady's  Suitor 

While  the  seven  years  slowly  passed  away  his  sad  and 
lonely  wife  dwelt  in  the  castle  on  the  Islet,  ruling  her 
lord's  clan  in  all  gentle  ways,  but  fighting  boldly  when 
raiders  came  to  plunder  her  clansmen.  Yearly  she 
claimed  her  husband's  dues  and  watched  that  he  was 
not  defrauded  of  his  rights.  But  though  thus  firm, 
she  was  the  best  help  in  trouble  that  her  clan  ever  had, 
and  all  blessed  the  name  of  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe. 

So  fair  and  gentle  a  lady,  so  beloved  by  her  clan, 
was  certain  to  have  suitors  if  she  were  a  widow,  ard 
even  before  the  seven  years  had  passed  away  there  were 
men  who  would  gladly  have  persuaded  her  that  her 
husband  was  dead  and  that  she  was  free.  She,  however, 
steadfastly  refused  to  hear  a  word  of  another  marriage, 
saying  :  "  When  Colin  parted  from  me  he  gave  me  two 
promises,  one  to  return,  if  possible,  within  seven  years, 
and  the  other  to  send  me,  on  his  deathbed,  if  he  died 
away  from  me,  a  sure  token  of  his  death.  I  have  not 
yet  waited  seven  years,  nor  have  I  had  the  token  of  his 
death.  I  am  still  the  wife  of  Black  Colin  of  Loch  Awe." 

This  steadfastness  gradually  daunted  her  suitors  and 
they  left  her  alone,  until  but  one  remained,  the  Baron 
Niel  MacCorquodale,  whose  lands  bordered  on  Glen- 
urchy,  and  who  had  long  cast  covetous  eyes  on  the 
glen  and  its  fair  lady,  and  longed  no  less  for  the  wealth 
she  was  reputed  to  possess  than  for  the  power  this 
marriage  would  give  him. 

The  Baron's  Plot 

When  the  seven  years  were  over  the  Baron  Mac- 
Corquodale sought  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe  again,  wooing 
*54 


A  FORGED  LETTER 

her  for  his  wife.  Again  she  refused,  saying,  "  Until 
I  have  the  token  of  my  husband's  death  I  will  be 
wife  to  no  other  man."  "And  what  is  this  token, 
lady  ? "  asked  the  Baron,  for  he  thought  he  could  send 
a  false  one.  "I  will  never  tell  that,"  replied  the  ilady. 
"  Do  you  dare  to  ask  the  most  sacred  secret  between 
husband  and  wife  ?  I  shall  know  the  token  when  it 
comes."  The  Baron  was  not  a  little  enraged  that  he 
could  not  discover  the  secret,  but  he  determined  to 
wed  the  lady  and  her  wealth  notwithstanding  ;  accord- 
ingly he  wrote  by  a  sure  and  secret  messenger  to  a 
friend  in  Rome,  bidding  him  send  a  letter  with 
news  that  Black  Colin  was  assuredly  dead,  and  that 
certain  words  (which  the  Baron  dictated)  had  come 
from  him. 

A  Forged  Letter 

One  day  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe,  looking  out  from  her 
castle,  saw  the  Baron  coming,  and  with  him  a  palmer 
whose  face  was  bronzed  by  Eastern  suns.  She  felt  that 
the  palmer  would  bring  tidings,  and  welcomed  the 
Baron  with  his  companion.  "  Lady,  this  palmer  brings 
you  sad  news,"  quoth  the  Baron.  "  Let  him  tell  it, 
then,"  replied  she,-  sick  with  fear.  "  Alas  !  fair  dame, 
if  you  were  the  wife  of  that  gallant  knight  Colin  of 
Loch  Awe,  you  are  now  his  widow,"  said  the  palmer 
sadly,  as  he  handed  her  a  letter.  "What  proof  have 
you  ?  "  asked  Black  Colin's  wife  before  she  read  the 
letter.  "Lady,  I  talked  with  the  soldier  who  brought 
the  tidings,"  replied  the  stranger. 

The  letter  was  written  from  Rome  to  "  The  Right 
Noble  Dame  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe,"  and  told  how 
news  had  come  from  Rhodes,  brought  by  a  man  of 
Black  Colin's  band,  that  the  Knight  of  Loch  Awe  had 
been  mortally  wounded  in  a  fight  against  the  Saracens. 

*S5 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Dying,  he  had  bidden  his  clansmen  return  to  their 
lady,  but  they  had  all  perished  but  one,  fighting  for 
vengeance  against  the  infidels.  This  man,  who  had 
held  the  dying  Knight  tenderly  upon  his  knee,  said 
that  Colin  bade  his  wife  farewell,  bade  her  remember 
his  injunction  to  wed  again  and  find  a  protector,  gasped 
out,  "  Take  her  the  token  I  promised  ;  it  is  here,"  and 
died  ;  but  the  Saracens  attacked  the  Christians  again, 
drove  them  back,  and  plundered  the  bodies  of  the  slain, 
and  when  the  one  survivor  returned  to  search  for  the 
precious  token  there  was  none  !  The  body  was  stripped 
of  everything  of  value,  and  the  clansman  wound  it  in 
the  plaid  and  buried  it  on  the-^batdefield. 

The  Lady's  Stratagem 

There  seemed  no  reason  for  the  lady  to  doubt  this 
news,  and  her  grief  was  very  real  and  sincere.  She  clad 
herself  in  mourning  robes  and  bewailed  her  lost  husband, 
but  yet  she  was  not  entirely  satisfied,  for  she  still  wore 
the  broken  half  of  the  engraved  ring  on  the  chain  round 
her  neck,  and  still  the  promised  death-token  had  not 
come.  The  Baron  now  pressed  his  suit  with  greater 
ardour  than  before,  and  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe  was  hard 
put  to  it  to  find  reasons  for  refusing  him.  It  was 
necessary  to  keep  him  on  good  terms  with  the  clan,  for 
his  lands  bordered  on  those  of  Glenurchy,  and  he  could 
have  made  war  on  the  people  in  the  glen  quite  easily, 
while  the  knowledge  that  their  chief  was  dead  would 
have  made  them  a  broken  clan.  So  the  lady  turned  to 
guile,  as  did  Penelope  of  old  in  similar  distress.  "  I 
will  wed  you,  now  that  my  Colin  is  dead,"  she  replied 
at  last,  "  but  it  cannot  be  immediately  ;  I  must  first 
build  a  castle  that  will  command  the  head  of  Glenurchy 
and  of  Loch  Awe.  The  MacGregors  knew  the  best  place 
for  a  house,  there  on  Innis  Eoalan  ;  there,  where  the 
256 


BLACK  COLIN  HEARS  THE  NEWS 
ruins  of  MacGregor's  White  House  now  stand,  will  I 
build  my  castle.  When  it  is  finished  the  time  of  my 
mourning  will  be  over,  and  I  will  fix  the  bridal  day." 
With  this  promise  the  Baron  had  perforce  to  be  con- 
tented, and  the  castle  began  to  rise  slowly  at  the  head  of 
Loch  Awe  ;  but  its  progress  was  not  rapid,  because  the 
lady  secretly  bade  her  men  build  feebly,  and  often  the 
walls  fell  down,  so  that  the  new  castle  was  very  long 
in  coming  to  completion. 

Black  Colin  Hears  the  News 

In  the  meantime  all  who  loved  Black  Colin  grieved 
to  know  that  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe  would  wed  again, 
and  his  foster-mother  sorrowed  most  of  all,  for  she  felt 
sure  that  her  beloved  Colin  was  not  dead.  The  death- 
token  had  not  been  sent,  and  she  sorely  mistrusted  the 
Baron  MacCorquodale  and  doubted  the  truth  of  the 
palmer's  message.  At  last,  when  the  new  castle  was 
nearly  finished  and  shone  white  in  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
she  called  one  of  her  sons  and  bade  him  journey  to 
Rome  to  find  the  Knight  of  Loch  Awe,  if  he  were  yet 
alive,  and  to  bring  sure  tidings  of  his  death  if  he  were 
no  longer  living.  The  young  Patterson  set  off  secretly, 
and  reached  Rome  in  due  course,  and  there  he  met 
Black  Colin,  just  returned  from  Jerusalem.  The  Knight 
had  at  last  realized  that  he  had  spent  seven  years  away 
from  his  home,  and  that  now,  in  spite  of  all  his  haste, 
he  might  reach  Glenurchy  too  late  to  save  his  wife  from 
a  second  marriage.  He  comforted  himself,  however, 
with  the  thought  that  the  token  was  still  safe  with  him, 
and  that  his  wife  would  be  loyal ;  great,  therefore,  was 
his  horror  when  he  met  his  foster-brother  and  heard  how 
the  news  of  his  death  had  been  brought  to  the  glen. 
He  heard  also  how  his  wife  had  reluctantly  promised 
to  marry  the  Baron  MacCorquodale,  and  had  delayed 

257 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

her  wedding  by  stratagem,  and  he  vowed  that  he  would 
return  to  Glenurchy  in  time  to  spoil  the  plans  of  the 
wicked  baron. 

Black  Colin's  Return 

Travelling  day  and  night,  Black  Colin,  with  his  faith- 
ful clansman,  came  near  to  Glenurchy,  and  sent  his 
follower  on  in  advance  to  bring  back  news.  The  youth 
returned  with  tidings  that  the  wedding  had  been  fixed 
for  the  next  day,  since  the  castle  was  finished  and  no 
further  excuse  for  delay  could  be  made.  Then  Colin's 
anger  was  greatly  roused,  and  he  vowed  that  the  Baron 
MacCorquodale,  who  had  stooped  to  deceit  and  forgery 
to  gain  his  ends,  should  pay  dearly  for  his  baseness. 
Bidding  his  young  clansman  show  no  sign  of  recognition 
when  he  appeared,  the  Knight  of  Loch  Awe  sent  him  to 
the  farm  in  the  glen,  where  the  anxious  foster-mother 
eagerly  awaited  the  return  of  the  wanderer.  When  she 
saw  her  son  appear  alone  she  was  plunged  into  despair, 
for  she  concluded,  not  that  Black  Colin  was  dead, 
but  that  he  would  return  too  late.  When  he,  in  the 
beggar's  disguise  which  he  assumed,  came  down  the 
Glen  he  saw  the  smoke  from  the  castle  on  the  Islet, 
and  said  :  "  I  see  smoke  from  my  house,  and  it  is  the 
smoke  of  a  wedding  feast  in  preparation,  but  I  pray 
God  who  sent  us  light  and  love  that  I  may  reap  the 
fruit  of  the  love  that  is  there." 

The  FostwMother's  Recognition 

The  Knight  then  went  to  his  foster-mother's  house, 
knocked  at  the  door,  and  humbly  craved  food  and 
shelter,  as  a  beggar.  "Come  in,  good  man,"  quoth 
the  mistress  of  the  house  ;  "  sit  down  in  the  chimney- 
corner,  and  you  shall  have  your  fill  of  oatcake  and 
milk."  Colin  sat  down  heavily,  as  if  he  were  over- 

258 


THE  FOSTER-MOTHER'S  RECOGNITION 

wearied,  and  the  farmer's  wife  moved  about  slowly,  put- 
ting before  him  what  she  had  ;  and  the  Knight  saw  that 
she  did  not  recognise  him,  and  that  she  had  been  weep- 
ing quite  recently.  "  You  are  sad,  I  can  see,"  he  said. 
"  What  is  the  cause  of  your  grief  ?  "  "  I  am  not  minded 
to  tell  that  to  a  wandering  stranger,"  she  replied. 
"  Perhaps  I  can  guess  what  it  is,"  he  continued  ;  "  you 
have  lost  some  dear  friend,  I  think."  "  My  loss  is  great 
enough  to  give  me  grief,"  she  answered,  weeping.  "  I 
had  a  dear  foster-son,  who  went  oversea  to  fight  the 
heathen.  He  was  dearer  to  me  than  my  own  sons,  and 
now  news  has  come  that  he  is  dead  in  that  foreign  land. 
And  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe,  who  was  his  wife,  is  to  wed 
another  husband  to-morrow.  Long  she  waited  for  him, 
past  the  seven  years  he  was  to  be  away,  and  now  she 
would  not  marry  again,  but  that  a  letter  has  come  to 
assure  her  of  his  death.  Even  yet  she  is  fretting 
because  she  has  not  had  the  token  he  promised  to 
send  her  ;  and  she  will  only  marry  because  she  dare 
no  longer  delay." 

"What  is  this  token  ? "  asked  Colin.  "  That  I  know 
not  :  she  has  never  told,"  replied  the  foster-mother  ; 
but  oh  !  if  he  were  now  here  Glenurchy  would  never  fall 
under  the  power  of  Baron  MacCorquodale."  "  Would 
you  know  Black  Colin  if  you  were  to  see  him  ?  "  the 
beggar  asked  meaningly ;  and  she  replied  :  "  I  think  I 
should,  for  though  he  has  been  away  for  years,  I  nursed 
him,  and  he  is  my  own  dear  fosterling."  "  Look  well  at 
me,  then,  good  mother  of  mine,  for  I  am  Colin  of  Loch 
Awe." 

The  mistress  of  the  farm  seized  the  beggar-man  by 
the  arm,  drew  him  out  into  the  light,  and  looked 
earnestly  into  his  face  ;  then,  with  a  scream  of  joy,  she 
flung  her  arms  around  him,  and  cried  :  "  O  Colin  ! 
Colin  !  my  dear  son,  home  again  at  last  1  Glad  and 
T  259 


HERO  MYTHS  AND   LEGENDS 

glad  I  am  to  see  you  here  in  time  !  Weary  have  the 
years  been  since  my  nursling  went  away,  but  now  you 
are  home  all  will  be  well."  And  she  embraced  him  and 
kissed  him  and  stroked  his  hair,  and  exclaimed  at  his 
bronzed  hue  and  his  ragged  attire. 

The  FostefMother's  Plan 

At  last  Colin  stopped  her  raptures.  "  Tell  me, 
mother,  does  my  wife  seem  to  wish  for  this  marriage  ? " 
he  asked  ;  and  his  foster-mother  answered  :  "  Nay,  my 
son,  she  would  not  wed  now  but  that,  thinking  you  are 
dead,  she  fears  the  Baron's  anger  if  she  continues  to 
refuse  him.  But  if  you  doubt  her  heart,  follow  my 
counsel,  and  you  shall  be  assured  of  her  will  in  this 
matter."  "What  do  you  advise?"  asked  he.  She 
answered  :  "  Stay  this  night  with  me  here,  and  to-morrow 
go  in  your  beggar's  dress  to  the  castle  on  the  Islet.  Stand 
with  other  beggars  at  the  door,  and  refuse  to  go  until 
the  bride  herself  shall  bring  you  food  and  drink.  Then 
you  can  put  your  token  in  the  cup  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe 
will  hand  you,  and  by  her  behaviour  you  shall  learn  if 
her  heart  is  in  this  marriage  or  not."  "  Dear  mother, 
your  plan  is  good,  and  I  will  follow  it,"  quoth  Colin. 
"  This  night  I  will  rest  here,  and  on  the  morrow  I  will 
seek  my  wife." 

The  Beggar  at  the  Wedding 

Early  next  day  Colin  arose,  clad  himself  in  the  dis- 
guise of  a  sturdy  beggar,  took  a  kindly  farewell  of  his 
foster-mother,  and  made  his  way  to  the  castle.  Early 
as  it  was,  all  the  servants  were  astir,  and  the  whole  place 
was  in  a  bustle  of  preparation,  while  vagabonds  of  every 
description  hung  round  the  doors,  begging  for  food  and 
money  in  honour  of  the  day.  The  new-comer  acted 
much  more  boldly :  he  planted  himself  right  in  the  open 
260 


THE  TOKEN 

doorway  and  begged  for  food  and  drink  in  such  a  lordly 
tone  that  the  servants  were  impressed  by  it,  and  one  of 
them  brought  him  what  he  asked — oatcake  and  butter- 
milk— and  gave  it  to  him,  saying,  "Take  this  and  be- 
gone." Colin  took  the  alms  and  drank  the  buttermilk, 
but  put  the  cake  into  his  wallet,  and  stood  sturdily 
right  in  the  doorway,  so  that  the  servants  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  enter.  Another  servant  came  to  him  with  more 
food  and  a  horn  of  ale,  saying,  "  Now  take  this  second 
gift  of  food  and  begone,  for  you  are  in  our  way  here, 
and  hinder  us  in  our  work." 

The  Beggar's  Demand 

But  he  stood  more  firmly  still,  with  his  stout  travel- 
ling-staff planted  on  the  threshold,  and  said  :  "  I  will  not 
go."  Then  a  third  servant  approached,  who  said  :  "  Go 
at  once,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you.  We  have  given 
you  quite  enough  for  one  beggar.  Leave  quickly  now, 
or  you  will  get  us  and  yourself  into  trouble."  The 
disguised  Knight  only  replied  :  "  I  will  not  go  until  the 
bride  herself  comes  out  to  give  me  a  drink  of  wine," 
and  he  would  not  move,  for  all  they  could  say.  The 
servants  at  last  grew  so  perplexed  that  they  went  to 
tell  their  mistress  about  this  importunate  beggar.  She 
laughed  as  she  said  :  "  It  is  not  much  for  me  to  do  on 
my  last  day  in  the  old  house,"  and  she  bade  a  servant 
attend  her  to  the  door,  bringing  a  large  jug  full  of  wine. 

The  Token 

As  the  unhappy  bride  came  out  to  the  begga> 
man  he  bent  his  head  in  greeting,  and  she  noticed  his 
travel-stained  dress  and  said :  "  You  have  come  from 
far,  good  man";  and  he  replied  :  "Yes,  lady,  I  have 
seen  many  distant  lands."  "Alas!  others  have  gone 
to  see  distant  lands  and  have  not  returned,"  said  she. 

261 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
**  If  you  would  have  a  drink  from  the  hands  of  the 
bride  herself,  I  am  she,  and  you  may  take  your  wine 
now";  and,  holding  a  bowl  in  her  hands,  she  bade  the 
servant  fill  it  with  wine,  and  then  gave  it  to  Colin. 
**  I  drink  to  your  happiness,"  said  he,  and  drained  the 
bowl.  As  he  gave  it  back  to  the  lady  he  placed  within 
it  the  token,  the  half  of  the  engraved  ring.  "  I  return 
it  richer  than  I  took  it,  lady,"  said  he,  and  his  wife 
looked  within  and  saw  the  token. 

The  Recognition 

Trembling  violently,  she  snatched  the  tiny  bit  of 
gold  from  the  bottom  of  the  bowl,  which  fell  to  the 
ground  and  broke  at  her  feet,  and  then  she  saw  her 
own  name  engraved  upon  it.  She  looked  long  and 
long  at  the  token,  and  then,  pulling  a  chain  at  her 
neck,  drew  out  her  half  of  the  ring  with  Colin's  name 
engraved  on  it.  "  O  stranger,  tell  me,  is  my  husband 
dead  ?"  she  asked,  grasping  the  beggar's  arm.  "Dead  ?" 
he  questioned,  gazing  tenderly  at  her  ;  and  at  his  tone 
she  looked  straight  into  his  eyes  and  knew  him. 
"  My  husband  ! "  was  all  that  she  could  say,  but  she 
flung  her  arms  around  his  neck  and  was  clasped  close 
to  his  heart.  The  servants  stood  bewildered,  but 
in  a  moment  their  mistress  had  turned  to  them, 
saying,  "  Run,  summon  all  the  household,  bring  them 
all,  for  this  is  my  husband,  Black  Colin  of  Loch  Awe, 
come  home  to  me  again."  When  all  in  the  castle  knew 
it  there  was  great  excitement  and  rejoicing,  and  they 
feasted  bountifully,  for  the  wedding  banquet  had  been 
prepared. 

The  Baron's  Flight 

While  the  feast  was  in  progress,  and  the  happy  wife 
sat  by  her  long-lost  husband  and  held  his  hand,  as 
262 


CASTLE  KILCHURN 

though  she  feared  to  let  him  leave  her,  a  distant  sound 
of  bagpipes  was  heard,  and  the  lady  remembered  that 
the  Baron  MacCorquodale  would  be  coming  for  his 
wedding,  which  she  had  entirely  forgotten  in  her  joy. 
She  laughed  lightly  to  herself,  and,  beckoning  a  clansman, 
bade  him  go  and  tell  the  Baron  that  she  would  take  no 
new  husband,  since  her  old  one  had  come  back  to  her, 
and  that  there  would  be  questions  to  be  answered  when 
time  served.  The  Baron  MacCorquodale,  in  his  wedding 
finery,  with  a  great  party  of  henchmen  and  vassals  and 
pipers  blowing  a  wedding  march,  had  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  river  which  enters  the  side  of  Loch  Awe  ;  the 
party  had  crossed  the  river,  and  were  ready  to  take 
boat  across  to  the  Islet,  when  they  saw  a  solitary  man 
rowing  towards  them  with  all  speed.  "  It  is  some 
messenger  from  my  lady,"  said  the  Baron,  and  he 
waited  eagerly  to  hear  the  message.  With  dreadful 
consternation  he  listened  to  the  unexpected  words  as 
the  clansman  delivered  them,  and  then  bade  the  pipers 
cease  their  music.  "  We  must  return  ;  there  will  be 
no  wedding  to-day,  since  Black  Colin  is  home  again," 
quoth  he  ;  and  the  crestfallen  party  retraced  their  steps, 
quickening  them  more  and  more  as  they  thought  of  the 
vengeance  of  the  long-lost  chieftain  ;  but  they  reached 
their  home  in  safety. 

Castle  Kilchurn 

In  the  meantime  Colin  had  much  to  tell  his  wife  of 
his  adventures,  and  to  ask  her  of  her  life  all  these  years. 
They  told  each  other  all,  and  Colin  saw  the  false  letter 
that  had  been  sent  to  the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe,  and  guessed 
who  had  plotted  this  deceit.  His  anger  grew  against 
the  bad  man  who  had  wrought  this  wrong  and  had  so 
nearly  gained  his  end,  and  he  vowed  that  he  would 
make  the  Baron  dearly  abide  it  His  wife  calmed  his 

263 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

fury  somewhat  by  telling  him  how  she  had  waited  even 
beyond  the  seven  years,  and  what  stratagem  she  had 
used,  and  at  last  he  promised  not  to  make  war  on  the 
Baron,  but  to  punish  him  in  other  ways. 

"Tell  me  what  you  have  done  with  the  rents  of 
Glenurchy  these  seven  years,"  said  he.  Then  the 
happy  wire  replied  :  "  With  part  I  have  lived,  with  part 
I  have  guarded  the  glen,  and  with  part  have  I  made  a 
cairn  of  stones  at  the  head  of  Loch  Awe.  Will  you 
come  with  me  and  see  it  ?  "  And  Colin  went,  deeply 
puzzled.  When  they  came  to  the  head  of  Loch  Awe, 
there  stood  the  new  castle,  on  the  site  of  the  old  house 
of  the  MacGregors  ;  and  the  proud  wife  laughed  as  she 
said  :  "  Do  you  like  my  cairn  of  stones  ?  It  has  taken 
long  to  build."  Black  Colin  was  much  pleased  with 
the  beautiful  castle  she  had  raised  for  him,  and  renamed 
it  Kilchurn  Castle,  which  title  it  still  keeps.  True  to 
his  vow,  he  took  no  bloody  vengeance  on  the  Baron 
MacCorquodale,  but  when  a  few  years  after  he  fell 
into  his  power  the  Knight  of  Loch  Awe  forced  him  to 
resign  a  great  part  of  his  lands  to  be  united  with  those 
of  Glenurchy. 


264 


CHAPTER  XIII :  THE  MARRIAGE  OF 
SIR  GA WAYNE 

Introduction 

THE  heroes  of  chivalry,  from  Roland  the  noble 
paladin  to  Spenser's  Red-Cross  Knight,  have 
many  virtues  to  uphold,  and  their  characteristics 
are  as  varied  as  are  the  races  which  adopted  chivalry 
and  embodied  it  in  their  hero-myths.  It  is  a  far  cry 
from  the  loyalty  of  Roland,  in  which  love  for  his 
emperor  is  the  predominant  characteristic,  to  the  tender 
and  graceful  reverence  of  Sir  Calidore ;  but  mediaeval 
Wales,  which  has  preserved  the  Arthurian  legend  most 
free  from  alien  admixture,  had  a  knight  of  courtesy  quite 
equal  to  Sir  Calidore.  Courage  was  one  quality  on  the 
possession  of  which  these  mediaeval  knights  never  prided 
themselves,  because  they  could  not  imagine  life  without 
courage,  but  gentle  courtesy  was,  unhappily,  rare,  and 
many  a  heroic  legend  is  spoilt  by  the  insolence  of  the 
hero  to  people  of  lower  rank.  Again,  the  legends  often 
look  lightly  on  the  ill-treatment  of  maidens  ;  yet  the 
true  hero  is  one  who  is  never  tempted  to  injure  a 
defenceless  woman.  Similarly,  a  broken  oath  to  a 
heathen  or  mere  churl  is  excused  as  a  trifling  matter, 
but  the  ideal  hero  sweareth  and  breaketh  not,  though  it 
be  to  his  own  hindrance. 

Sir  Gawayne 

The  true  Knight  of  Courtesy  is  Sir  Gawayne,  King 
Arthur's  nephew,  who  in  many  ways  overshadows  his 
more  illustrious  uncle.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  King 
Arthur  of  the  mediaeval  romances  is  either  a  mere 
ordinary  conqueror  or  a  secondary  figure  set  in  the 
background  to  heighten  the  achievements  of  his  more 
warlike  followers.  The  Blatter  is  the  conception  of 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Arthur  which  we  find  in  this  legend  of  the  gentle  and 
courteous  Sir  Gawayne. 

King  Arthur  Keeps  Christmas 

One  year  the  noble  King  Arthur  was  keeping  his 
Christmas  at  Carlisle  with  great  pomp  and  state.  By 
his  side  sat  his  lovely  Queen  Guenever,  the  brightest 
and  most  beauteous  bride  that  a  king  ever  wedded,  and 
about  him  were  gathered  the  Knights  of  the  Round 
Table.  Never  had  a  king  assembled  so  goodly  a 
company  of  valiant  warriors  as  now  sat  in  due  order  at 
the  Round  Table  in  the  great  hall  of  Carlisle  Castle, 
and  King  Arthur's  heart  was  filled  with  pride  as  he  looked 
on  his  heroes.  There  sat  Sir  Lancelot,  not  yet  the 
betrayer  of  his  lord's  honour  and  happiness,  with  Sir 
Bors  and  Sir  Banier,  there  Sir  Bedivere,  loyal  to  King 
Arthur  till  death,  there  surly  Sir  Kay,  the  churlish 
steward  of  the  king's  household,  and  King  Arthur's 
nephews,  the  young  and  gallant  Sir  Gareth,  the  gentle 
and  courteous  Sir  Gawayne,  and  the  false,  gloomy  Sir 
Mordred,  who  wrought  King  Arthur's  ove/throw.  The 
knights  and  ladies  were  ranged  in  their  fitting  degrees 
and  ranks,  the  servants  and  pages  waited  and  carved 
and  filled  the  golden  goblets,  and  the  minstrels  sang  to 
their  harps  lays  of  heroes  of  the  olden  time. 

His  Discontent 

Yet  in  the  midst  of  all  this  splendour  the  king  was 
ill  at  ease,  for  he  was  a  warlike  knight  and  longed  for 
some  new  adventure,  and  of  late  none  had  been  known. 
Arthur  sat  moodily  among  his  knights  and  drained  the 
wine-cup  in  silence,  and  Queen  Guenever,  gazing  at 
her  husband,  durst  not  interrupt  his  gloomy  thoughts. 
At  last  the  king  raised  his  head,  and,  striking  the  table 
with  his  hand,  exclaimed  fiercely  :  "  Are  all  my  knights 
266 


THE  DAMSEL'S  REQUEST 

sluggards  or  cowards,  that  none  of  them  goes  forth  to 
seek  adventures  ?  You  are  better  fitted  to  feast  well 
in  hall  than  fight  well  in  field.  Is  my  fame  so  greatly 
decayed  that  no  man  cares  to  ask  for  my  help  or  my 
support  against  evildoers  ?  I  vow  here,  by  the  boar's 
head  and  by  Our  Lady,  that  I  will  not  rise  from  this 
table  till  some  adventure  be  undertaken."  "  Sire,  your 
loyal  knights  have  gathered  round  you  to  keep  the  holy 
Yuletide  in  your  court,"  replied  Sir  Lancelot ;  and  Sir 
Gawayne  said  :  "  Fair  uncle,  we  are  not  cowards,  but  few 
evildoers  dare  to  show  themselves  under  your  rule  ; 
hence  it  is  that  we  seem  idle.  But  see  yonder  !  By 
my  faith,  now  cometh  an  adventure." 

The  Damsel's  Request 

Even  as  Sir  Gawayne  spoke  a  fair  damsel  rode  into 
the  hall,  with  flying  hair  and  disordered  dress,  and, 
dismounting  from  her  steed,  knelt  down  sobbing  at 
Arthur's  feet.  She  cried  aloud,  so  that  all  heard  her  : 
"  A  boon,  a  boon,  King  Arthur  !  I  beg  a  boon  of  you  !  " 
"  What  is  your  request  ?  "  said  the  king,  for  the  maiden 
was  in  great  distress,  and  her  tears  filled  his  heart  with 
pity.  "  What  would  you  have  of  me  ? "  "  I  cry  for 
vengeance  on  a  churlish  knight,  who  has  separated  my 
love  from  me."  "  Tell  your  story  quickly,"  said  King 
Arthur  ;  and  all  the  knights  listened  while  the  lady 
spoke. 

"  I  was  betrothed  to  a  gallant  knight,"  she  said, 
"  whom  I  loved  dearly,  and  we  were  entirely  happy 
until  yesterday.  Then  as  we  rode  out  together 
planning  our  marriage  we  came,  through  the  moorland 
ways,  unnoticing,  to  a  fair  lake,  Tarn  Wathelan,  where 
stood  a  great  castle,  with  streamers  flying,  and  banners 
waving  in  the  wind.  It  seemed  a  strong  and  goodly 
place,  but  alas  !  it  stood  on  magic  ground,  and  within 

267 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

the  enchanted  circle  of  its  shadow  an  evil  spell  fell  on 
every  knight  who  set  foot  therein.  As  my  love  and  I 
looked  idly  at  the  mighty  keep  a  horrible  and  churlish 
warrior,  twice  the  size  of  mortal  man,  rushed  forth  in 
complete  armour  ;  grim  and  fierce-looking  he  was, 
armed  with  a  huge  club,  and  sternly  he  bade  my 
knight  leave  me  to  him  and  go  his  way  alone.  Then 
my  love  drew  his  sword  to  defend  me,  but  the  evil 
spell  had  robbed  him  of  all  strength,  and  he  could  do 
nought  against  the  giant's  club  ;  his  sword  fell  from  his 
feeble  hand,  and  the  churlish  knight,  seizing  him,  caused 
him  to  be  flung  into  a  dungeon.  He  then  returned  and 
sorely  ill-treated  me,  though  I  prayed  for  mercy  in  the 
name  of  chivalry  and  of  Mary  Mother.  At  last,  when 
he  set  me  free  and  bade  me  go,  I  said  I  would  come 
to  King  Arthur's  court  and  beg  a  champion  of  might 
to  avenge  me,  perhaps  even  the  king  himself.  But 
the  giant  only  laughed  aloud.  '  Tell  the  foolish 
king,'  quoth  he,  'that  here  I  stay  his  coming,  and 
that  no  fear  of  him  shall  stop  my  working  my  will  on 
all  who  come.  Many  knights  have  I  in  prison,  some 
of  them  King  Arthur  s  own  true  men  ;  wherefore  bid 
him  fight  with  me,  if  he  will  win  them  back.5  Thus, 
laughing  and  jeering  loudly  at  you,  King  Arthur,  the 
churlish  knight  returned  to  his  castle,  and  I  rode  to 
Carlisle  as  fast  as  I  could." 

King  Arthur's  Vow 

When  the  lady  had  ended  her  sorrowful  tale  all 
present  were  greatly  moved  with  indignation  and  pity, 
but  King  Arthur  felt  the  insult  most  deeply.  He 
sprang  to  his  feet  in  great  wrath,  and  cried  aloud  :  "  I 
vow  by  my  knighthood,  and  by  the  Holy  Rood,  that  I 
will  go  forth  to  find  that  proud  giant,  and  will  never 
leave  him  till  I  have  overcome  him."  The  knights 
268 


The  King  blew  a  loud  note  on  his  bugle"  268 


THE  RANSOM 

applauded  their  lord's  vow,  but  Queen  Guenever  looked 
doubtfully  at  the  king,  for  she  had  noticed  the  damsel's 
mention  of  magic,  and  she  feared  some  evil  adventure 
"for  her  husband.  The  damsel  stayed  in  Carlisle  that 
night,  and  in  the  morning,  after  he  had  heard  Mass,  and 
bidden  farewell  to  his  wife,  King  Arthur  rode  away. 
It  was  a  lonely  journey  to  Tarn  Wathelan,  but  the  country 
was  very  beautiful,  though  wild  and  rugged,  and  the  king 
soon  saw  the  little  lake  gleaming  clear  and  cold  below 
him,  while  the  enchanted  castle  towered  up  above  the 
water,  with  banners  flaunting  defiantly  in  the  wind. 

The  Fight 

The  king  drew  his  sword  Excalibur  and  blew  a  loud 
note  on  his  bugle.  Thrice  his  challenge  note  resounded, 
but  brought  no  reply,  and  then  he  cried  aloud  :  "  Come 
forth,  proud  knight  !  King  Arthur  is  here  to  punish 
you  for  your  misdeeds  1  Come  forth  and  fight  bravely. 
If  you  are  afraid,  then  come  forth  and  yield  yourselr 
my  thrall." 

The  churlish  giant  darted  out  ftt  the  summons,  bran- 
dishing his  massive  club,  and  rushed  straight  at  King 
Arthur.  The  spell  of  the  enchanted  ground  seized  the 
king  at  that  moment,  and  his  hand  sank  down.  Down 
fell  his  good  sword  Excalibur,  down  fell  his  shield,  and 
he  found  himself  ignominiously  helpless  in  the  presence 
of  his  enemy. 

The  Ransom 

Now  the  giant  cried  aloud  :  "  Yield  or  fight,  King 
Arthur  ;  which  will  you  do  ?  If  you  fight  I  shall  con- 
quer you,  for  you  have  no  power  to  resist  me  ;  you  will 
be  my  prisoner,  with  no  hope  of  ransom,  will  lose  your 
land  and  spend  your  life  in  my  dungeon  with  many 
other  brave  knights.  If  you  yield  I  will  hold  you  to 

169 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

ransom,  but  you  must  swear  to  accept  the  terms   I 
shall  offer." 

"What  are  they,"  asked  King  Arthur.  The  giant 
replied  :  "You  must  swear  solemnly,  by  the  Holy  Rood, 
that  you  will  return  here  on  New  Year's  Day  and 
bring  me  a  true  answer  to  the  question,  *  What  thing- 
is  it  that  all  women  most  desire  ?  '  If  you  fail  to  bring 
the  right  answer  your  ransom  is  not  paid,  and  you  are 
yet  my  prisoner.  Do  you  accept  my  terms  ?  "  The 
king  had  no  alternative  :  so  long  as  he  stood  on  the 
enchanted  ground  his  courage  was  overborne  by  the 
spell  and  he  could  only  hold  up  his  hand  and  swear  by 
the  Sacred  Cross  and  by  Our  Lady  that  he  would  return, 
with  such  answers  as  he  could  obtain,  on  New  Year's  Day. 

The  King's  Search 

Ashamed  and  humiliated,  the  king  rode  away,  but 
not  back  to  Carlisle — he  would  not  return  home  till  he 
had  fulfilled  his  task  ;  so  he  rode  east  and  west  and 
north  and  south,  and  asked  every  woman  and  maid  he 
met  the  question  the  churlish  knight  had  put  to  him. 
"What  is  it  all  women  most  desire?"  he  asked, 
and  all  gave  him  different  replies  :  some  said  riches, 
some  splendour,  some  pomp  and  state  ;  others  declared 
that  fine  attire  was  women's  chief  delight,  yet  others 
voted  for  mirth  or  flattery  ;  some  declared  that  a  hand- 
some lover  was  the  cherished  wish  of  every  woman's 
heart ;  and  among  them  all  the  king  grew  quite  bewil- 
dered. He  wrote  down  all  the  answers  he  received, 
and  sealed  them  with  his  own  seal,  to  give  to  the  churlish 
knight  when  he  returned  to  the  Castle  of  Tarn  Wathelan  ; 
but  in  his  own  heart  King  Arthur  felt  that  the  true 
answer  had  not  yet  been  given  to  him.  He  was  sad 
as  he  turned  and  rode  towards  the  giant's  home  on  New 
Year's  Day,  for  he  feared  to  lose  his  liberty  and  lands, 
270 


THE  LOATHLY  LADY 

and  the  lonely  journey  seemed  much  more  dreary  than 
it  had  before,  when  he  rode  out  from  Carlisle  so  full  of 
hope  and  courage  and  self-confidence. 

The  Loathly  Lady 

Arthur  was  riding  mournfully  through  a  lonely  forest 
when  he  heard  a  woman's  voice  greeting  him  :  "  God 
save  you,  King  Arthur  !  God  save  and  keep  you  1  " 
and  he  turned  at  once  to  see  the  person  who  thus 
addressed  him.  He  saw  no  one  at  all  on  his  right  hand, 
but  as  he  turned  to  the  other  side  he  perceived  a 
woman's  form  clothed  in  brilliant  scarlet ;  the  figure  was 
seated  between  a  holly-tree  and  an  oak,  and  the  berries 
of  the  former  were  not  more  vivid  than  her  dress, 
and  the  brown  leaves  of  the  latter  not  more  brown 
and  wrinkled  than  her  cheeks.  At  first  sight  King 
Arthur  thought  he  must  be  bewitched — no  such  night- 
mare of  a  human  face  had  ever  seemed  to  him  possible. 
Her  nose  was  crooked  and  bent  hideously  to  one  side, 
while  her  chin  seemed  to  bend  to  the  opposite  side  of 
her  face ;  her  one  eye  was  set  deep  under  her  beetling 
brow,  and  her  mouth  was  nought  but  a  gaping  slit. 
Round  this  awful  countenance  hung  snaky  locks  of 
ragged  grey  hair,  and  she  was  deadly  pale,  with  a  bleared 
and  dimmed  blue  eye.  The  king  nearly  swooned  when 
he  saw  this  hideous  sight,  and  was  so  amazed  that  he 
did  not  answer  her  salutation.  The  loathly  lady  seemed 
angered  by  the  insult :  "  Now  Christ  save  you,  King 
Arthur  !  Who  are  you  to  refuse  to  answer  my  greeting 
and  take  no  heed  of  me  ?  Little  of  courtesy  have  you 
and  your  knights  in  your  fine  court  in  Carlisle  if  you 
cannot  return  a  lady's  greeting.  Yet,  Sir  King,  proud  as 
you  are,  it  may  be  that  I  can  help  you,  loathly  though 
I  be  ;  but  I  will  do  nought  for  one  who  will  not  be 
courteous  to  me." 

a/i 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Lady's  Secret 

King  Arthur  was  ashamed  of  his  lack  of  courtesy, 
and  tempted  by  the  hint  that  here  was  a  woman  who 
could  help  him.  "  Forgive  me,  lady,"  said  he ;  "  I  was 
sorely  troubled  in  mind,  and  thus,  and  not  for  want  oi 
courtesy,  did  I  miss  your  greeting.  You  say  that  you 
can  perhaps  help  me  ;  if  you  would  do  this,  lady,  and 
teach  me  how  to  pay  my  ransom,  I  will  grant  anything 
you  ask  as  a  reward."  The  deformed  lady  said : 
"  Swear  to  me,  by  Holy  Rood,  and  by  Mary  Mother, 
that  you  will  grant  me  whatever  boon  I  ask,  and  I  will 
help  you  to  the  secret.  Yes,  Sir  King,  I  know  by  secret 
means  that  you  seek  the  answer  to  the  question,  *  What 
is  it  all  women  most  desire  ?  *  Many  women  have 
given  you  many  replies,  but  I  alone,  by  my  magic 
power,  can  give  you  the  right  answer.  This  secret  1 
will  tell  you,  and  in  truth  it  will  pay  your  ransom, 
when  you  have  sworn  to  keep  faith  with  me."  "  In- 
deed, O  grim  lady,  the  oath  I  will  take  gladly,"  said 
King  Arthur  ;  and  when  he  had  sworn  it,  with  uplifted 
hand,  the  lady  told  him  the  secret,  and  he  vowed  with 
great  bursts  of  laughter  that  this  was  indeed  the  right 
answer. 

The  Ransom 

When  the  king  had  thoroughly  realized  the  wisdom 
of  the  answer  he  rode  on  to  the  Castle  of  Tarn  Wathe- 
lan,  and  blew  his  bugle  three  times.  As  it  was  New 
Year's  Day,  the  churlish  knight  was  ready  for  him, 
and  rushed  forth,  club  in  hand,  ready  to  do  battle. 
"  Sir  Knight,"  said  the  king,  "  I  bring  here  writings 
containing  answers  to  your  question  ;  they  are  replies 
that  many  women  have  given,  and  should  be  right ; 
these  I  bring  in  ransom  for  my  life  and  lands."  The 
272 


THE  PRICE  OF  THE  RANSOM 

churlish  knight  took  the  writings  and  read  them  one 
by  one,  and  each  one  he  flung  aside,  till  all  had  been 
read  ;  then  he  said  to  the  king  :  "  You  must  yield 
yourself  and  your  lands  to  me,  King  Arthur,  and  rest 
my  prisoner  ;  for  though  these  answers  be  many  and 
wise,  not  one  is  the  true  reply  to  my  question  ;  your 
ransom  is  not  paid,  and  your  life  and  all  you  have  is 
forfeit  to  me."  "  Alas  !  Sir  Knight,"  quoth  the  king, 
"  stay  your  hand,  and  let  me  speak  once  more  before  I 
yield  to  you  ;  it  is  not  much  to  grant  to  one  who  risks 
life  and  kingdom  and  all.  Give  me  leave  to  try  one 
more  reply."  To  this  the  giant  assented,  and  King 
Arthur  continued  :  "  This  morning  as  I  rode  through 
the  forest  I  beheld  a  lady  sitting,  clad  in  scarlet, 
between  an  oak  and  a  holly-tree  ;  she  says,  '  All  women 
will  have  their  own  way,  and  this  is  their  chief  desire.' 
Now  confess  that  I  have  brought  the  true  answer  to 
your  question,  and  that  I  am  free,  and  have  paid  the 
ransom  for  my  life  and  lands." 

The  Price  of  the  Ransom 

The  giant  waxed  furious  with  rage,  and  shouted  :  "  A 
curse  upon  that  lady  who  told  you  this  1  It  must  have 
been  my  sister,  for  none  but  she  knew  the  answer. 
Tell  me,  was  she  ugly  and  deformed  ?  "  When  King 
Arthur  replied  that  she  was  a  loathly  lady,  the  giant 
broke  out  :  "  I  vow  to  heaven  that  if  I  can  once  catch 
her  I  will  burn  her  alive  ;  for  she  has  cheated  me  of 
being  King  of  Britain.  Go  your  ways,  Arthur  ;  you 
have  not  ransomed  yourself,  but  the  ransom  is  paid 
and  you  are  free.' 

Gladly  the  king  rode  back  to  the  forest  where  the 
loathly  lady  awaited  him,  and  stopped  to  greet  her. 
"  I  am  free  now,  lady,  thanks  to  you  !  What  boon  do 
you  ask  in  reward  for  your  help  ?  I  have  promised  to 

273 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
grant  it  you,  whatever  it  may  be."  "  This  is  my  boon, 
King  Arthur,  that  you  will  bring  some  young  and 
courteous  knight  from  your  court  in  Carlisle  to  marry 
me,  and  he  must  be  brave  and  handsome  too.  You 
have  sworn  to  fulfil  my  request,  and  you  cannot  break 
your  word."  These  last  words  were  spoken  as  the 
king  shook  his  head  and  seemed  on  the  point  of  re- 
fusing a  request  so  unreasonable  ;  but  at  this  reminder 
he  only  hung  his  head  and  rode  slowly  away,  while  the 
unlovely  lady  watched  him  with  a  look  of  mingled  pain 
and  glee. 

King  Arthur's  Return 

On  the  second  day  of  the  new  year  King  Arthur 
came  home  to  Carlisle.  Wearily  he  rode  along  and  dis- 
mounted at  the  castle,  and  wearily  he  went  into  his 
hall,  where  sat  Queen  Guenever.  She  had  been  very 
anxious  during  her  husband's  absence,  for  she  dreaded 
magic  arts,  but  she  greeted  him  gladly  and  said  :  "  Wel- 
come, my  dear  lord  and  king,  welcome  home  again  ! 
What  anxiety  I  have  endured  for  you  !  But  now  you 
are  here  all  is  well.  What  news  do  you  bring,  my 
liege  ?  Is  the  churlish  knight  conquered  ?  Where 
have  you  had  him  hanged,  and  where  is  his  head  ? 
Placed  on  a  spike  above  some  town^-gate  ?  Tell  me 
your  tidings,  and  we  will  rejoice  together."  King 
Arthur  only  sighed  heavily  as  he  replied  :  "  Alas  !  I 
have  boasted  too  much  ;  the  churlish  knight  was  a  giant 
who  has  conquered  me,  and  set  me  free  on  conditions." 
"  My  lord,  tell  me  how  this  has  chanced."  "  His 
castle  is  an  enchanted  one,  standing  on  enchanted 
ground,  and  surrounded  with  a  circle  of  magic  spells 
which  sap  the  bravery  from  a  warrior's  mind  and  the 
strength  from  his  arm.  When  I  came  on  his  land  and 
felt  the  power  of  his  mighty  charms,  I  was  unable  to 
274 


"  He  hung  his  head  and  rode  slowly  away  "  274 


SIR  GA WAYNE'S  DEVOTION 

resist  him,  but  fell  into  his  power,  and  had  to  yield 
myself  to  him.  He  released  me  on  condition  that  I 
would  fulfil  one  thing  which  he  bade  me  accomplish, 
and  this  I  was  enabled  to  do  by  the  help  of  a  loathly 
lady  ;  but  that  help  was  dearly  bought,  and  I  cannot 
pay  the  price  myself." 

Sir  Gawayne's  Devotion 

By  this  time  Sir  Gawayne,  the  king's  favourite 
nephew,  had  entered  the  hall,  and  greeted  his  uncle 
warmly  ;  then,  with  a  few  rapid  questions,  he  learnt 
the  king's  news,  and  saw  that  he  was  in  some  distress. 
"  What  have  you  paid  the  loathly  lady  for  her  secret, 
uncle  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Alas  !  I  have  paid  her  nothing  ; 
but  I  promised  to  grant  her  any  boon  she  asked,  and 
she  has  asked  a  thing  impossible."  "  What  is  it  ?  " 
asked  Sir  Gawayne.  "Since  you  have  promised  it, 
the  promise  must  needs  be  kept.  Can  I  help  you  to 
perform  your  vow  ? "  "  Yes,  you  can,  fair  nephew 
Gawayne,  but  I  will  never  ask  you  to  do  a  thing  so 
terrible,"  said  King  Arthur.  "  I  am  ready  to  do  it, 
uncle,  were  it  to  wed  the  loathly  lady  herself."  "  That 
is  what  she  asks,  that  a  fair  young  knight  should  marry 
her.  But  she  is  too  hideous  and  deformed  ;  no  man 
could  make  her  his  wife."  "  If  that  is  all  your  grief," 
replied  Sir  Gawayne,  "things  shall  soon  be  settled; 
I  will  wed  this  ill-favoured  dame,  and  will  be  your 
ransom."  "  You  know  not  what  you  offer,"  answered 
the  king.  "  I  never  saw  so  deformed  a  being.  Her 
speech  is  well  enough,  but  her  face  is  terrible,  with 
crooked  nose  and  chin,  and  she  has  only  one  eye." 
"  She  must  be  an  ill-favoured  maiden  ;  but  I  heed  it 
not,"  said  Sir  Gawayne  gallantly,  "  so  that  I  can  save 
you  from  trouble  and  care."  "Thanks,  dear  Gawayne, 
thanks  a  thousand  times  !  Now  through  your  devotion 
u  275 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

I  can  keep  my  word.  To-morrow  we  must  fetch  your 
bride  from  her  lonely  lodging  in  the  greenwood  ;  but 
we  will  feign  some  pretext  for  the  journey.  I  will  sum- 
mon a  hunting  party,  with  horse  and  hound  and  gallant 
riders,  and  none  shall  know  that  we  go  to  bring  home  so 
ugly  a  bride."  "  Gramercy,  uncle,"  said  Sir  Gawayne. 
«cTill  to-morrow  I  am  a  free  man." 

The  Hunting  Party 

The  next  day  King  Arthur  summoned  all  the  court 
to  go  hunting  in  the  greenwood  close  to  Tarn  Wathelan  ; 
but  he  did  not  lead  the  chase  near  the  castle  :  the 
remembrance  of  his  defeat  and  shame  was  too  strong  for 
him  to  wish  to  see  the  place  again.  They  roused  a 
noble  stag  and  chased  him  far  into  the  forest,  where 
they  lost  him  amid  close  thickets  of  holly  and  yew  inter- 
spersed with  oak  copses  and  hazel  bushes — bare  were 
the  hazels,  and  brown  and  withered  the  clinging  oak 
leaves,  but  the  holly  looked  cheery,  with  its  fresh  green 
leaves  and  scarlet  berries.  Though  the  chase  had  been 
fruitless,  the  train  of  knights  laughed  and  talked  gaily 
as  they  rode  back  through  the  forest,  and  the  gayest  of 
all  was  Sir  Gawayne  ;  he  rode  wildly  down  the  forest 
drives,  so  recklessly  that  he  drew  level  with  Sir  Kay, 
the  churlish  steward,  who  always  preferred  to  ride  alone. 
Sir  Lancelot,  Sir  Stephen,  Sir  Banier,  and  Sir  Bors  all 
looked  wonderingly  at  the  reckless  youth ;  but  his 
younger  brother,  Gareth,  was  troubled,  for  he  knew  all 
was  not  well  with  Gawayne,  and  Sir  Tristram,  buried  in 
his  love  for  Isolde,  noticed  nothing,  but  rode  needlessly 
wrapped  in  sad  musings. 

Sir  Kay  and  the  Loathly  Lady 

Suddenly  Sir  Kay  reined  up  his  steed,  amazed ;  his 
eye  had  caught  the  gleam  of  scarlet  under  the  trees,  and 
276 


THE  BETROTHAL 

as  he  looked  he  became  aware  of  a  woman,  clad  in  a 
dress  of  finest  scarlet,  sitting  between  a  holly-tree  and 
an  oak.  "Good  greeting  to  you,  Sir  Kay,"  said  the 
lady,  but  the  steward  was  too  much  amazed  to  answer. 
Such  a  face  as  that  of  the  lady  he  had  never  even 
imagined,  and  he  took  no  notice  of  her  salutation. 
By  this  time  the  rest  of  the  knights  had  joined  him, 
and  they  all  halted,  looking  in  astonishment  on  the  mis- 
shapen face  of  the  poor  creature  before  them.  It  seemed 
terrible  that  a  woman's  figure  should  be  surmounted  by 
such  hideous  features,  and  most  of  the  knights  were  silent 
for  pity's  sake  ;  but  the  steward  soon  recovered  from 
his  amazement,  and  his  rude  nature  began  to  show 
itself.  The  king  had  not  yet  appeared,  and  Sir  Kay 
began  to  jeer  aloud.  "  Now  which  of  you  would  fain 
woo  yon  fair  lady  ? "  he  asked.  "  It  takes  a  brave  man, 
for  methinks  he  will  stand  in  fear  of  any  kiss  he  may 
get,  it  must  needs  be  such  an  awesome  thing.  But  yet 
I  know  not ;  any  man  who  would  kiss  this  beau- 
teous damsel  may  well  miss  the  way  to  her  mouth, 
and  his  fate  is  not  quite  so  dreadful  after  all.  Come, 
who  will  win  a  lovely  bride  ! "  Just  then  King  Arthur 
rode  up,  and  at  sight  of  him  Sir  Kay  was  silent ;  but  the 
loathly  lady  hid  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  wept  that  he 
should  pour  such  scorn  upon  her. 

The  Betrothal 

Sir  Gawayne  was  touched  with  compassion  for  this 
uncomely  woman  alone  among  these  gallant  and  hand- 
some knights,  a  woman  so  helpless  and  ill-favoured, 
and  he  said  :  "  Peace,  churl  Kay,  the  lady  cannot  help 
herself;  and  you  are  not  so  noble  and  courteous  that 
you  have  the  right  to  jeer  at  any  maiden  ;  such  deeds 
do  not  become  a  knight  of  Arthur's  Round  Table. 
Besides,  one  of  us  knights  here  must  wed  this  unfor- 

277 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

tunate  lady."  "Wed  her  ?"  shouted  Kay.  "Gawayne, 
you  are  mad  1  "  "  It  is  true,  is  it  not,  my  liege  ?  " 
asked  Sir  Gawayne,  turning  to  the  king ;  and  Arthur 
reluctantly  gave  token  of  assent,  saying,  "  I  promised 
her  not  long  since,  for  the  help  she  gave  me  in  a  great 
distress,  that  I  would  grant  her  any  boon  she  craved, 
and  she  asked  for  a  young  and  noble  knight  to  be  her 
husband.  My  royal  word  is  given,  and  I  will  keep  it ; 
therefore  have  I  brought  you  here  to  meet  her."  Sir 
Kay  burst  out  with,  "  What  ?  Ask  me  perchance  to 
wed  this  foul  quean  ?  I'll  none  of  her.  Where'er  I 
get  my  wife  from,  were  it  from  the  fiend  himself,  this 
hideous  hag  shall  never  be  mine."  "  Peace,  Sir  Kay," 
sternly  said  the  king ;  "  you  shall  not  abuse  this  poor 
lady  as  well  as  refuse  her.  Mend  your  speech,  or  you 
shall  be  knight  of  mine  no  longer."  Then  he  turned 
to  the  others  and  said  :  "  Who  will  wed  this  lady  and 
help  me  to  keep  my  royal  pledge  ?  You  must  not  all 
refuse,  for  my  promise  is  given,  and  for  a  little  ugli- 
ness and  deformity  you  shall  not  make  me  break  my 
plighted  word  of  honour."  As  he  spoke  he  watched 
them  keenly,  to  see  who  would  prove  sufficiently 
devoted,  but  the  knights  all  began  to  excuse  themselves 
and  to  depart.  They  called  their  hounds,  spurred 
their  steeds,  and  pretended  to  search  for  the  track  of 
the  lost  stag  again  ;  but  before  they  went  Sir  Gawayne 
cried  aloud  :  "  Friends,  cease  your  strife  and  debate, 
for  I  will  wed  this  lady  myself.  Lady,  will  you  have 
me  for  your  husband?"  Thus  saying,  he  dismounted 
and  knelt  before  her. 

The  Lady's  Words 

The  poor  lady  had  at  first  no  words  to  tell  her  grati- 
tude to  Sir  Gawayne,  but  when  she  had  recovered  a 
little  she  spoke  :  "Alas  !  Sir  Gawayne,  I  fear  you  do 


THE  JOURNEY  TO  CARLISLE 

but  jest.  Will  you  wed  with  one  so  ugly  and  deformed 
as  I  ?  What  sort  of  wife  should  I  be  for  a  knight  so 
gay  and  gallant,  so  fair  and  comely  as  the  king's  own 
nephew  ?  What  will  Queen  Guenever  and  the  ladies  of 
the  Court  say  when  you  return  to  Carlisle  bringing 
with  you  such  a  bride  ?  You  will  be  shamed,  and  all 
through  me."  Then  she  wept  bitterly,  and  her  weeping 
made  her  seem  even  more  hideous  ;  but  King  Arthur, 
who  was  watching  the  scene,  said  :  "  Lady,  I  would  fain 
see  that  knight  or  dame  who  dares  mock  at  my  nephew's 
bride.  I  will  take  order  that  no  such  unknightly  dis- 
courtesy is  shown  in  my  court,"  and  he  glared  angrily 
at  Sir  Kay  and  the  others  who  had  stayed,  seeing  that 
Sir  Gawayne  was  prepared  to  sacrifice  himself  and  there- 
fore they  were  safe.  The  lady  raised  her  head  and  looked 
keenly  at  Sir  Gawayne,  who  took  her  hand,  saying  : 
"  Lady,  I  will  be  a  true  and  loyal  husband  to  you  if  you 
will  have  me  ;  and  I  shall  know  how  to  guard  my  wife 
from  insult.  Come,  lady,  and  my  uncle  will  announce 
the  betrothal."  Now  the  lady  seemed  to  believe  that  Sir 
Gawayne  was  in  earnest,  and  she  sprang  to  her  feet, 
saying  :  "  Thanks  to  you  !  A  thousand  thanks,  Sir 
Gawayne,  and  blessings  on  your  head  !  You  shall 
never  rue  this  wedding,  and  the  courtesy  you  have 
shown.  Wend  we  now  to  Carlisle." 

The  Journey  to  Carlisle 

A  horse  with  a  side-saddle  had  been  brought  for 
Sir  Gawayne's  bride,  but  when  the  lady  moved  it  be- 
came evident  that  she  was  lame  and  halted  in  her 
walk,  and  there  was  a  slight  hunch  on  her  shoulders. 
Both  of  these  deformities  showed  little  when  she  was 
seated,  but  as  she  moved  the  knights  looked  at  one 
another,  shrugged  their  shoulders  and  pitied  Sir  Gawayne, 
whose  courtesy  had  bound  him  for  life  to  so  deformed 

279 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

a  wife.  Then  the  whole  train  rode  away  together,  the 
bride  between  King  Arthur  and  her  betrothed,  and  all 
the  knights  whispering  and  sneering  behind  them.  Great 
was  the  excitement  in  Carlisle  to  see  that  ugly  dame,  and 
greater  still  the  bewilderment  in  the  court  when  they 
were  told  that  this  loathly  lady  was  Sir  Gawayne's 
bride. 

The  Bridal 

Only  Queen  Guenever  understood,  and  she  showed 
all  courtesy  to  the  deformed  bride,  and  stood  by  her  as 
her  lady-of-honour  when  the  wedding  took  place  that 
evening,  while  King  Arthur  was  groomsman  to  his 
nephew.  When  the  long  banquet  was  over,  and  bride  and 
bridegroom  no  longer  need  sit  side  by  side,  the  tables 
were  cleared  and  the  hall  was  prepared  for  a  dance,  and 
then  men  thought  that  Sir  Gawayne  would  be  free  for 
a  time  to  talk  with  his  friends  ;  but  he  refused.  "  Bride 
and  bridegroom  must  tread  the  first  dance  together,  if 
she  wishes  it,"  quoth  he,  and  offered  his  lady  his  hand 
for  the  dance.  "I  thank  you,  sweet  husband,"  said  the 
grim  lady  as  she  took  it  and  moved  forward  to  open 
the  dance  with  him  ;  and  through  the  long  and  stately 
measure  that  followed,  so  perfect  was  his  dignity,  and 
the  courtesy  and  grace  with  which  he  danced,  that  no 
man  dreamt  of  smiling  as  the  deformed  lady  moved 
clumsily  through  the  figures  of  the  dance. 

Sir  Gawayne's  Bride 

At  last  the  long  evening  was  over,  the  last  measure 
danced,  the  last  wine-cup  drained,  the  bride  escorted  to 
her  chamber,  the  lights  out,  the  guests  separated  in 
their  rooms,  and  Gawayne  was  free  to  think  of  what  he 
had  done,  and  to  consider  how  he  had  ruined  his  whole 
hope  of  happiness.  He  thought  of  his  uncle's  favour, 
•So 


SIR  GAWAYNE'S  CHOICE 

of  the  poor  lady's  gratitude,  of  the  blessing  she  had 
invoked  upon  him,  and  he  determined  to  be  gentle  with 
her,  though  he  could  never  love  her  as  his  wife.  He 
entered  the  bride-chamber  with  the  feeling  of  a  man 
who  has  made  up  his  mind  to  endure,  and  did  not  even 
look  towards  his  bride,  who  sat  awaiting  him  beside 
the  fire.  Choosing  a  chair,  he  sat  down  and  looked  sadly 
into  the  glowing  embers  and  spoke  no  word. 

"  Have  you  no  word  for  me,  husband  ?  Can  you 
not  even  give  me  a  glance  ? "  asked  the  lady,  and  Sir 
Gawayne  turned  his  eyes  to  her  where  she  sat ;  and 
then  he  sprang  up  in  amazement,  for  there  sat  no 
loathly  lady,  no  ugly  and  deformed  being,  but  a  maiden 
young  and  lovely,  with  black  eyes  and  long  curls  of 
dark  hair,  with  beautiful  face  and  tall  and  graceful 
figure.  "  Who  are  you,  maiden  ? "  asked  Sir  Gawayne  ; 
and  the  fair  one  replied  :  "  I  am  your  wife,  whom  you 
found  between  the  oak  and  the  holly-tree,  and  whom 
you  wedded  this  night." 

Sir  Gawayne's  Choice 

"  But  how  has  this  marvel  come  to  pass  ? "  asked  he, 
wondering,  for  the  fair  maiden  was  so  lovely  that  he 
marvelled  that  he  had  not  known  her  beauty  even 
under  that  hideous  disguise.  "It  is  an  enchantment 
to  which  I  am  in  bondage,"  said  she.  "  I  am  not  yet 
entirely  free  from  it,  but  now  for  a  time  I  may  appear 
to  you  as  I  really  am.  Is  my  lord  content  with  his 
loving  bride  ? "  asked  she,  with  a  little  smile,  as  she 
rose  and  stood  before  him.  "  Content ! "  he  said,  as 
he  clasped  her  in  his  arms.  "  I  would  not  change  my 
dear  lady  for  the  fairest  dame  in  Arthur's  court,  not 
though  she  were  Queen  Guenever  herself.  I  am  the 
happiest  knight  that  lives,  for  I  thought  to  save  my 
uncle  and  help  a  hapless  lady,  and  I  have  won  my 

*8i 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
own  happiness  thereby.  Truly  I  shall  never  rue  the 
day  when  1  wedded  you,  dear  heart."  Long  they  sat 
and  talked  together,  and  then  Sir  Gawayne  grew  weary, 
and  would  fain  have  slept,  but  his  lady  said  :  "  Hus- 
band, now  a  heavy  choice  awaits  you.  I  am  under  the 
spell  of  an  evil  witch,  who  has  given  me  my  own  face 
and  form  for  half  the  day,  and  the  hideous  appearance 
in  which  you  first  saw  me  for  the  other  half.  Choose 
now  whether  you  will  have  me  fair  by  day  and  ugly  by 
night,  or  hideous  by  day  and  beauteous  by  night.  The 
choice  is  your  own." 

The  Dilemma 

Sir  Gawayne  was  no  longer  oppressed  with  sleep ; 
the  choice  before  him  was  too  difficult.  If  the  lady 
remained  hideous  by  day  he  would  have  to  endure  the 
taunts  of  his  fellows  ;  if  by  night,  he  would  be  un- 
happy himself.  If  the  lady  were  fair  by  day  other 
men  might  woo  her,  and  he  himself  would  have  no 
love  for  her  ;  if  she  were  fair  to  him  alone,  his  love 
would  make  her  look  ridiculous  before  the  court  and 
the  king.  Nevertheless,  acting  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment,  he  spoke  :  "  Oh,  be  fair  to  me  only — be 
your  old  self  by  day,  and  let  me  have  my  beauteous 
wife  to  myself  alone."  "Alas!  is  that  your  choice?" 
she  asked.  "  I  only  must  be  ugly  when  all  are  beau- 
tiful, I  must  be  despised  when  all  other  ladies  are 
admired  ;  1  am  as  fair  as  they,  but  I  must  seem  foul 
to  all  men.  Is  this  your  love,  Sir  Gawayne  ?  "  and 
she  turned  from  him  and  wept.  Sir  Gawayne  was 
filled  with  pity  and  remorse  when  he  heard  her  lament, 
and  began  to  realize  that  he  was  studying  his  own 
pleasure  rather  than  his  lady's  feelings,  and  his  courtesy 
and  gentleness  again  won  the  upper  hand.  "Dear 
love,  if  you  would  rather  that  men  should  see  you 
Ms 


Now  you  have  released  me  from  the  spell  completely  "      282 


THE  LADY'S  STORY 

fair,  I  will  choose  that,  though  to  me  you  will  be 
always  as  you  are  now.  Be  fair  before  others  and 
deformed  to  me  alone,  and  men  shall  never  know  that 
the  enchantment  is  not  wholly  removed." 

Sir  Gawayne's  Decision 

Now  the  lady  looked  pleased  for  a  moment,  and 
then  said  gravely  :  "  Have  you  thought  of  the  danger 
to  which  a  young  and  lovely  lady  is  exposed  in  the 
court  ?  There  are  many  false  knights  who  would  woo 
a  fair  dame,  though  her  husband  were  the  king's 
favourite  nephew  ;  and  who  can  tell  ? — one  of  them 
might  please  me  more  than  you.  Sure  I  am  that  many 
will  be  sorry  they  refused  to  wed  me  when  they  see 
me  to-morrow  morn.  You  must  risk  my  beauty  under 
the  guard  of  my  virtue  and  wisdom,  if  you  have  me 
young  and  fair."  She  looked  merrily  at  Sir  Gawayne 
as  she  spoke  ;  but  he  considered  seriously  for  a  time, 
and  then  said:  "Nay,  dear  love,  I  will  leave  the  matter 
to  you  and  your  own  wisdom,  for  you  are  wiser  in  this 
matter  than  I.  I  remit  this  wholly  unto  you,  to  decide 
according  to  your  will.  I  will  rest  content  with  what- 
soever you  resolve." 

The  Lady's  Story 

Now  the  fair  lady  clapped  her  hands  lightly,  and 
said  :  "  Blessings  on  you,  dear  Gawayne,  my  own  dear 
lord  and  husband  !  Now  you  have  released  me  from 
the  spell  completely,  and  I  shall  always  be  as  I  am  now, 
fair  and  young,  till  old  age  shall  change  my  beauty  as 
he  doth  that  of  all  mortals.  My  father  was  a  great  duke 
of  high  renown  who  had  but  one  son  and  one  daughter, 
both  of  us  dearly  beloved,  and  both  of  goodly  appear- 
ance. .When  I  had  come  to  an  age  to  be  married  my 
father  determined  to  take  a  new  wife,  and  he  wedded 

283 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

a  witch-lady.  She  resolved  to  rid  herself  of  his  two 
children,  and  cast  a  spell  upon  us  both,  whereby  I  was 
transformed  from  a  fair  lady  into  the  hideous  monster 
whom  you  wedded,  and  my  gallant  young  brother  into 
the  churlish  giant  who  dwells  at  Tarn  Wathelan.  She 
condemned  me  to  keep  that  awful  shape  until  I  married 
a  young  and  courtly  knight  who  would  grant  me  all 
my  will.  You  have  done  all  this  [for  me,  and  I  shall  be 
always  your  fond  and  faithful  wife.  My  brother  too 
is  set  free  from  the  spell,  and  he  will  become  again 
one  of  the  truest  and  most  gentle  knights  alive,  though 
none  can  excel  my  own  true  knight,  Sir  Gawayne." 

The  Surprise  of  the  Knights 

The  next  morning  the  knight  and  his  bride  descended 
to  the  great  hall,  where  many  knights  and  ladies  awaited 
them,  the  former  thinking  scornfully  of  the  hideous 
hag  whom  Gawayne  had  wedded,  the  latter  pitying  so 
young  and  gallant  a  knight,  tied  to  a  lady  so  ugly.  But 
both  scorn  and  pity  vanished  when  all  saw  the  bride. 
"  Who  is  this  fair  dame  ?  "  asked  Sir  Kay.  "  Where 
have  you  left  your  ancient  bride  ? "  asked  another,  and 
all  awaited  the  answer  in  great  bewilderment.  "  This  is 
the  lady  to  whom  I  was  wedded  yester  evening,"  replied 
Sir  Gawayne.  "  She  was  under  an  evil  enchantment,  which 
has  vanished  now  that  she  has  come  under  the  power  of  a 
husband,  and  henceforth  my  fair  wife  will  be  one  of  the 
most  beauteous  ladies  of  King  Arthur's  court.  Further, 
my  lord  King  Arthur,  this  fair  lady  has  assured  me  that 
the  churlish  knight  of  Tarn  Wathelan,  her  brother,  was 
also  under  a  spell,  which  is  now  broken,  and  he  will  be 
once  more  a  courteous  and  gallant  knight,  and  the 
ground  on  which  his  fortress  stands  will  have  hence- 
forth no  magic  power  to  quell  the  courage  of  any  knight 
alive.  Dear  liege  and  uncle,  when  I  wedded  yesterday 
184 


THE  SURPRISE  OF  THE  KNIGHTS 

the  loathly  lady  I  thought  only  of  your  happiness,  and 
in  that  way  I  have  won  my  own  lifelong  bliss." 

King  Arthur's  joy  at  his  nephew's  fair  hap  was  great 
for  he  had  grieved  sorely  over  Gawayne's  miserable 
fate,  and  Queen  Guenever  welcomed  the  fair  maiden  as 
warmly  as  she  had  the  loathly  lady,  and  the  wedding 
feast  was  renewed  with  greater  magnificence,  as  a  fitting 
end  to  the  Christmas  festivities. 


28? 


CHAPTER  XIV:  KING  HORN 

Introduction 

AMONG  the  hero-legends  which  are  considered 
to  be  of  native  English  growth  and  to  have 
come  down  to  us  from  the  times  of  the  Danish 
invasions  is  the  story  of  King  Horn  ;  but  although 
"  King  Horn,"  like  "  Havelok  the  Dane,"  was  origi- 
nally a  story  of  Viking  raids,  it  has  been  so  altered  that 
the  Norse  element  has  been  nearly  obliterated.  In  all 
but  the  bare  circumstances  of  the  tale,  "  King  Horn  " 
is  a  romance  of  chivalry,  permeated  with  the  Crusading 
spirit,  and  reflecting  the  life  and  customs  of  the  thir- 
teenth century,  instead  of  the  more  barbarous  manners 
of  the  eighth  or  ninth  centuries.  The  hero's  desire  to 
obtain  knighthood  and  do  some  deed  worthy  of  the 
honour,  the  readiness  to  leave  his  betrothed  for  long 
years  at  the  call  of  honour  or  duty,  the  embittered 
feeling  against  the  Saracens,  are  all  typical  of  the 
romance  of  the  Crusades.  Another  curious  point 
which  shows  a  later  than  Norse  influence  is  the  wooing 
of  the  reluctant  youth  by  the  princess,  of  which  there 
are  many  instances  in  mediaeval  literature ;  it  reveals 
a  consciousness  of  feudal  rank  which  did  not  exist  in 
early  times,  and  a  certain  recognition  of  the  privileges 
of  royal  birth  which  were  not  granted  before  the  days 
of  romantic  chivalry.  King  Horn  himself  is  a  hero  of 
the  approved  chivalric  type,  whose  chief  distinguishing 
feature  is  his  long  indifference  to  the  misfortunes  of 
the  sorely-tried  princess  to  whom  he  was  betrothed. 

The  Royal  Family  of  Suddene 

There  once  lived  and  ruled  in  the  pleasant  land  o1 
Suddene  a  noble  king  named  Murry,  whose  fair  con- 
sort, Queen  Godhild,  was  the  most  sweet  and  gentle 


THE  SARACEN  INVASION 

lady  alive,  as  the  king  was  a  pattern  of  all  knightly 
virtues.  This  royal  pair  had  but  one  child,  a  son, 
named  Horn,  now  twelve  years  old,  who  had  been 
surrounded  from  his  birth  with  loyal  service  and  true 
devotion.  He  had  a  band  of  twelve  chosen  companions 
with  whom  he  shared  sports  and  tasks,  pleasures  and 
griefs,  and  the  little  company  grew  up  well  trained  in 
chivalrous  exercises  and  qualities.  Childe  Horn  had 
his  favourites  among  the  twelve.  Athulf  was  his  dearest 
friend,  a  loving  and  devoted  companion  ;  and  next  to 
him  in  Horn's  affection  stood  Fikenhild,  whose  outward 
show  of  love  covered  his  inward  envy  and  hatred.  In 
everything  these  two  were  Childe  Horn's  inseparable 
comrades,  and  it  seemed  that  an  equal  bond  of  love 
united  the  three. 

The  Saracen  Invasion 

One  day  as  King  Murry  was  riding  over  the  cliffs  by 
the  sea  with  only  two  knights  in  attendance  he  noticed 
some  unwonted  commotion  in  a  little  creek  not  far 
from  where  he  was  riding,  and  he  at  once  turned  his 
horse's  head  in  that  direction  and  galloped  down  to 
the  shore.  On  his  arrival  in  the  small  harbour  he  saw 
fifteen  great  ships  of  strange  build,  and  their  crews, 
Saracens  all  armed  for  war,  had  already  landed,  and 
were  drawn  up  in  warlike  array.  The  odds  against  the 
king  were  terrible,  but  he  rode  boldly  to  the  invaders 
and  asked :  "  What  brings  you  strangers  here  ?  Why 
have  you  sought  our  land  ? "  A  Saracen  leader, 
gigantic  of  stature,  spoke  for  them  all  and  replied  : 
"  We  are  here  to  win  this  land  to  the  law  of  Mahomet 
and  to  drive  out  the  Christian  law.  We  will  slay  all 
the  inhabitants  that  believe  on  Christ.  Thou  thyself 
shalt  be  our  first  conquest,  for  thou  shalt  not  leave 
this  place  alive."  Thereupon  the  Saracens  attacked 

a67 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

the  little  band,  and  though  the  three  Christians  fought 
valiantly  they  were  soon  slain.  The  Saracens  then 
spread  over  the  land,  slaying,  burning,  and  pillaging, 
and  forcing  all  who  loved  their  lives  to  renounce  the 
Christian  faith  and  become  followers  of  Mahomet. 
When  Queen  Godhild  heard  of  her  husband's  death 
and  saw  the  ruin  of  her  people  she  fled  from  her 
palace  and  all  her  friends  and  betook  herself  to  a 
solitary  cave,  where  she  lived  unknown  and  undis- 
covered, and  continued  her  Christian  worship  while 
the  land  was  overrun  with  pagans.  Ever  she  prayed 
that  God  would  protect  her  dear  son,  and  bring  him 
at  last  to  his  father's  throne. 

Horn's  Escape 

Soon  after  the  king's  death  the  Saracens  had  captured 
Childe  Horn  and  his  twelve  comrades,  and  the  boys 
were  brought  before  the  pagan  emir.  They  would  all 
have  been  slain  at  once  or  flayed  alive,  but  for  the 
beauty  of  Childe  Horn,  for  whose  sake  their  lives  were 
spared.  The  old  emir  looked  keenly  at  the  lads,  and 
said :  "  Horn,  thou  art  a  bold  and  valiant  youth,  of 
great  stature  for  thine  age,  and  of  full  strength,  yet  I 
know  thou  hast  not  yet  reached  thy  full  growth.  If 
we  release  thee  with  thy  companions,  in  years  to  come 
we  shall  dearly  rue  it,  for  ye  will  become  great  cham- 
pions of  the  Christian  law  and  will  slay  many  of  us. 
Therefore  ye  must  die.  But  we  will  not  slay  you  with 
our  own  hands,  for  ye  are  noble  lads,  and  shall  have 
one  feeble  chance  for  your  lives.  Ye  shall  be  placed  in 
a  boat  and  driven  out  to  sea,  and  if  ye  all  are  drowned 
we  shall  not  grieve  overmuch.  Either  ye  must  die  or 
we,  for  I  know  we  shall  dearly  abide  your  king's  death 
if  ye  youths  survive."  Thereupon  the  lads  were  all 
taken  to  the  shore,  and,  weeping  and  lamenting,  were 
288 


Queen  Godhild  prays  ever  for  her  son  Horn  288 


FAREWELL  TO  THE  BOAT 

thrust  into  a  rudderless  boat,  which  was  towed  out  to 
sea  and  left  helpless. 

Arrival  in  "Westernesse 

The  other  boys  sat  lamenting  and  bewailing  their 
fate,  but  Childe  Horn,  looking  round  the  boat,  found  a 
pair  of  oars,  and  as  he  saw  that  the  boat  was  in  the 
grasp  of  some  strong  current  he  rowed  in  the  same 
direction,  so  that  the  boat  soon  drifted  out  of  sight  of 
land.  The  other  lads  were  a  dismal  crew,  for  they 
thought  their  death  was  certain,  but  Horn  toiled  hard 
at  his  rowing  all  night,  and  with  the  dawn  grew  so 
weary  that  he  rested  for  a  little  on  his  oars.  When  the 
rising  sun  made  things  clear,  and  he  could  see  over  the 
crests  of  the  waves,  he  stood  up  in  the  boat  and  uttered 
a  cry  of  joy.  "Comrades,"  cried  he,  "  dear  friends,  I 
see  land  not  far  away.  I  hear  the  sweet  songs  of  birds 
and  see  the  soft  green  grass.  We  have  come  to  some 
unknown  land  and  have  saved  our  lives."  Then 
Athulf  took  up  the  glad  tidings  and  began  to  cheer  the 
forlorn  little  crew,  and  under  Horn's  skilful  guidance 
the  little  boat  grounded  gently  and  safely  on  the  sands 
of  Westernesse.  The  boys  sprang  on  shore,  all  but 
Childe  Horn  having  no  thought  of  the  past  night  and 
the  journey  ;  but  he  stood  by  the  boat,  looking  sadly 
at  it. 

Farewell  to  the  Boat. 

"  '  Boat,'  quoth  he, '  which  hast  borne  me  on  my  way, 
Have  thou  good  days  beside  a  summer  sea ! 
May  never  wave  prevail  to  sink  thee  deep  ' 
Go,  little  boat,  and  when  thou  comest  home 
Greet  well  my  mother,  mournful  Queen  Godhild  ; 
Tell  her,  frail  skiff,  her  dear  son  Horn  is  safe. 
Greet,  tqo,  the  pagan  lord,  Mahomet's  thrall, 
The  bitter  enemy  of  Jesus  Christ, 

289 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

And  bid  him  know  that  I  am  safe  and  well. 
Say  I  have  reached  a  land  beyond  the  sea, 
Whence,  in  God's  own  good  time,  I  will  return 
Then  he  shall  feel  my  vengeance  for  my  sire.' " 

Then  sorrowfully  he  pushed  the  boat  out  into  the 
ocean,  and  the  ebbing  tide  bore  it  away,  while  Horn 
and  his  companions  set  their  faces  resolutely  towards 
the  town  they  could  see  in  the  distance. 

King  Ailmar  and  Childe  Horn 

As  the  little  band  were  trudging  wearily  towards  the 
town  they  saw  a  knight  riding  towards  them,  and  when 
he  came  nearer  they  became  aware  that  he  must  be 
some  noble  of  high  rank.  When  he  halted  and  began 
to  question  them,  Childe  Horn  recognised  by  his  tone 
and  bearing  that  this  must  be  the  king.  So  indeed  it 
was,  for  King  Ailmar  of  Westernesse  was  one  of  those 
noble  rulers  who  see  for  themselves  the  state  of  their 
subjects  and  make  their  people  happy  by  free,  un- 
restrained intercourse  with  them.  When  the  king  saw 
the 'forlorn  little  company  he  said  :  "Whence  are  ye, 
fair  youths,  so  strong  and  comely  of  body  ?  Never 
have  I  seen  so  goodly  a  company  of  thirteen  youths  in 
the  realm  of  Westernesse.  Tell  me  whence  ye  come, 
and  what  ye  seek."  Childe  Horn  assumed  the  office 
of  spokesman,  for  he  was  leader  by  birth,  by  courage, 
and  by  intellect.  "  We  are  lads  of  noble  families  in 
Suddene,  sons  of  Christians  and  of  men  of  lofty  station. 
Pagans  have  taken  the  land  and  slain  our  parents,  and 
we  boys  fell  into  their  hands.  These  heathen  have 
slain  and  tortured  many  Christian  men,  but  they  had 
pity  upon  us,  and  put  us  into  an  old  boat  with  no  saii 
or  rudder.  So  we  drifted  all  night,  until  I  saw  your 
land  at  dawn,  and  our  boat  came  to  the  shore.  Now 
we  are  in  your  power,  and  you  may  do  with  us  what 
290 


CHILDE  HORN  AT  COURT 

you  will,  but  I  pray  you  to  have  pity  on  us  and  to  feed 
us,  that  we  may  not  perish  utterly." 

Ailmar's  Decision 

King  Ailmar  was  touched  as  greatly  by  the  simple 
boldness  of  the  spokesman  as  by  the  hapless  plight  of 
the  little  troop,  and  he  answered,  smiling  :  "Thou  shalt 
have  nought  but  help  and  comfort,  fair  youth.  But,  I 
pray  thee,  tell  me  thy  name."  Horn  answered 
readily :  "  King,  may  all  good  betide  thee  !  I  am 
named  Horn,  and  I  have  come  journeying  in  a  boat  on 
the  sea — now  I  am  here  in  thy  land."  King  Ailmar  re- 
plied :  "  Horn  !  That  is  a  good  name  :  mayst  thou  well 
enjoy  it.  Loud  may  this  Horn  sound  over  hill  and 
dale  till  the  blast  of  so  mighty  a  Horn  shall  be  heard 
in  many  lands  from  king  to  king,  and  its  beauty  and 
strength  be  known  in  many  countries.  Horn,  come 
thou  with  me  and  be  mine,  for  I  love  thee  and  will  not 
forsake  thee." 

Childe  Horn  at  Court 

The  king  rode  home,  and  all  the  band  of  stranger 
youths  followed  him  on  foot,  but  for  Horn  he  ordered 
a  horse  to  be  procured,  so  that  the  lad  rode  by  his  side  ; 
and  thus  they  came  back  to  the  court.  When  they 
entered  the  hall  he  summoned  his  steward,  a  noble  old 
knight  named  Athelbrus,  and  gave  the  lads  in  charge  to 
him,  saying,  "  Steward,  take  these  foundlings  of  mine, 
and  train  them  well  in  the  duties  of  pages,  and  later  of 
squires1  Take  especial  care  with  the  training  of  Childe 
Horn,  their  chief;  let  him  learn  all  thy  knowledge  of 
woodcraft  and  fishing,  of  hunting  and  hawking,  of  harp- 
ing and  singing  ;  teach  him  how  to  carve  before  me, 
and  to  serve  the  eup  solerrualy  at  banquets  ;  make  h.hn 
thy  favourite  pupil  and  train  him  to  be  a  knight  as  good 
x  291 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

as  thyself.  His  companions  thou  mayst  put  into  other 
service,  but  Horn  shall  be  my  own  page,  and  afterwards 
my  squire."  Athelbrus  obeyed  the  king's  command, 
and  the  thirteen  youths  soon  found  themselves  set  to 
learn  the  duties  of  court  life,  and  showed  themselves 
apt  scholars,  especially  Childe  Horn,  who  did  his  best 
to  satisfy  the  king  and  his  steward  on  every  point. 

The  Princess  Rymenhild 

When  Childe  Horn  had  been  at  court  for  six  years, 
and  w*£  now  a  squire,  he  became  known  to  all  courtiers, 
and  all  men  loved  him  for  his  gentle  courtesy  and  his 
willingness  to  do  any  service.  King  Ailmar  made  no 
secret  of  the  fact  that  Horn  was  his  favourite  squire, 
and  the  Princess  Rymenhild,  the  king's  fair  daughter, 
loved  him  with  all  her  heart.  She  was  the  heir  to  the 
throne,  and  no  man  had  ever  gainsaid  her  will,  and  now 
it  seemed  to  her  unreasonable  that  she  should  not  be 
allowed  to  wed  a  good  and  gallant  youth  whom  she 
loved.  It  was  difficult  for  her  to  speak  alone  with  him, 
for  she  had  six  maiden  attendants  who  waited  on  her 
continually,  and  Horn  was  engaged  with  his  duties 
either  in  the  hall,  among  the  knights,  or  waiting  on  the 
king.  The  difficulties  only  seemed  to  increase  her 
love,  and  she  grew  pale  and  wan,  and  looked  miser- 
able. It  seemed  to  her  that  if  she  waited  longer  her 
love  would  never  be  happy,  and  in  her  impatience  she 
took  a  bold  step. 

Athelbrus  Deceives  the  Princess 

She  kept  her  chamber,  called  a  messenger,  and  said 
to  him  :  "  Go  quickly  to  Athelbrus  the  steward,  and  bid 
him  come  to  me  at  once.  Tell  him  to  bring  with  him 
the  squire  Childe  Horn,  for  I  am  lying  ill  in  my  room, 
and  would  be  amused.  Say  I  expect  them  quickly,  for 


ATHELBRUS  SUMMONS  HORN 

I  am  sad  in  mind,  and  have  need  of  cheerful  converse." 
The  messenger  bowed,  and,  withdrawing,  delivered  the 
message  exactly  as  he  had  received  it  to  Athelbrus,  who 
was  much  perplexed  thereby.  He  wondered  whence 
came  this  sudden  illness,  and  what  help  Childe  Horn 
could  give.  It  was  an  unusual  thing  for  the  squire  to  be 
asked  into  a  lady's  bower,  and  still  more  so  into  that  of 
a  princess,  and  Athelbrus  had  already  felt  some  sus- 
picion as  to  the  sentiments  of  the  royal  lady  towards 
the  gallant  young  squire.  Considering  all  these  things, 
the  cautious  steward  deemed  it  safer  not  to  expose 
young  Horn  to  the  risks  that  might  arise  from  such  an 
interview,  and  therefore  induced  Athulf  to  wait  upon 
the  princess  and  to  endeavour  to  personate  his  more 
disfmguished  companion.  The  plan  succeeded  beyond 
expectation  in  the  dimly  lighted  room,  and  the  infatuated 
princess  soon  startled  the  unsuspecting  squire  by  a  warm 
and  unreserved  declaration  of  her  affection.  Recovering 
from  his  natural  amazement,  he  modestly  disclaimed  a 
title  to  the  royal  favour  and  acknowledged  his  identity. 
On  discovering  her  mistake  the  princess  was  torn  by 
conflicting  emotions,  but  finally  relieved  the  pressure 
of  self-reproach  and  the  confusion  of  maiden  modesty 
by  overwhelming  the  faithful  steward  with  denunciation 
and  upbraiding,  until  at  last,  in  desperation,  the  poor 
man  promised,  against  his  better  judgment,  to  bring 
about  a  meeting  between  his  love-lorn  mistress  and  the 
favoured  squire. 

Athelbrus  Summons  Horn 

When  Rymenhild  understood  that  Athelbrus  would 
fulfil  her  desire  she  was  very  glad  and  joyous  ;  her 
sorrow  was  turned  into  happy  expectation,  and  she 
looked  kindly  upon  the  old  steward  as  she  said :  "  Go 
now  quickly,  and  send  him  to  me  in  the  afternoon. 

293 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  king  will  go  to  the  wood  for  sport  and  pastime,  and 
Horn  can  easily  remain  behind ;  then  he  can  stay  with 
me  till  my  father  returns  at  eve.  No  one  will  betray 
us  ;  and  when  I  have  met  my  beloved  I  care  not  what 
men  may  say." 

Then  the  steward  went  down  to  the  banqueting- 
hall,  where  he  found  Childe  Horn  fulfilling  his  duties 
as  cup-bearer,  pouring  out  and  tasting  the  red  wine  in 
the  king's  golden  goblet.  King  Ailmar  asked  many 
questions  about  his  daughter's  health,  and  when  he  learnt 
that  her  malady  was  much  abated  he  rose  in  gladness 
from  the  table  and  summoned  his  courtiers  to  go  with 
him  into  the  greenwood.  Athelbrus  bade  Horn  tarry, 
and  when  the  gay  throng  had  passed  from  the  hall  the 
steward  said  gravely  :  "  Childe  Horn,  fair  and  courteous, 
my  beloved  pupil,  go  now  to  the  bower  of  the  Princess 
Rymenhild,  and  stay  there  to  fulfil  all  her  commands. 
It  may  be  thou  shalt  hear  strange  things,  but  keep  rash 
and  bold  words  in  thy  heart,  and  let  them  not  be  upon 
thy  tongue.  Horn,  dear  lad,  be  true  and  loyal  now, 
and  thou  shalt  never  repent  it." 

Horn  and  Rymenhild 

Horn  listened  to  this  unusual  speech  with  great 
astonishment,  but,  since  Sir  Athelbrus  spoke  so  solemnly, 
he  laid  all  his  words  to  heart,  and  thus,  marvelling 
greatly,  departed  to  the  royal  bower.  When  he  had 
knocked  at  the  door,  and  had  been  bidden  to  come  in, 
entering,  he  found  Rymenhild  sitting  in  a  great  chair, 
intently  regarding  him  as  he  came  into  the  room.  He 
knelt  down  to  make  obeisance  to  her,  and  kissed  her 
hand,  saying,  "  Sweet  be  thy  life  and  soft  thy  slumbers, 
fair  Princess  Rymenhild  !  Well  may  it  be  with  thy 
gentle  ladies  of  honour  !  I  am  here  at  thy  command, 
lady,  for  Sir  Athelbrus  the  steward,  bade  me  come  to 


HORN  REFUSES  THE  PRINCESS 

speak  with  thee.  Tell  me  thy  will,  and  I  will  fulfil  all 
thy  desires."  She  arose  from  her  seat,  and,  bending 
towards  him  as  he  knelt,  took  him  by  the  hand  and 
lifted  him  up,  saying,  "  Arise  and  sit  beside  me,  Childe 
Horn,  and  we  will  drink  this  cup  of  wine  together." 
In  great  astonishment  the  youth  did  as  the  princess 
bade,  and  sat  beside  her,  and  soon,  to  his  utter 
amazement,  Rymenhild  avowed  her  love  for  him,  and 
offered  him  her  hand.  "  Have  pity  on  me,  Horn,  and 
plight  me  thy  troth,  for  in  very  truth  I  love  thee, 
and  have  loved  thee  long,  and  if  thou  wilt  I  will  be  thy 
wife." 

Horn  Refuses  the  Princess 

Now  Horn  was  in  evil  case,  for  he  saw  full  well 
in  what  danger  he  would  place  the  princess,  Sir 
Athelbrus,  and  himself  if  he  accepted  the  proffer  of 
her  love.  He  knew  the  reason  of  the  steward's 
warning,  and  tried  to  think  what  he  might  say  to 
satisfy  the  princess  and  yet  not  be  disloyal  to  the 
king.  At  last  he  replied :  "  Christ  save  and  keep 
thee,  my  lady  Rymenhild,  and  give  thee  joy  of  thy 
husband,  whosoever  he  may  be !  I  am  too  lowly 
born  to  be  worthy  of  such  a  wife ;  I  am  a  mere 
foundling,  living  on  thy  father's  bounty.  It  is  not 
in  the  course  of  nature  that  such  as  I  should  wed 
a  king's  daughter,  for  there  can  be  no  equal  match 
between  a  princess  and  a  landless  squire." 

Rymenhild  was  so  disheartened  and  ashamed  at  this 
reply  to  her  loving  appeal  that  her  colour  changed,  she 
turned  deadly  pale,  began  to  sigh,  flung  her  arms  out 
wildly,  and  fell  down  in  a  swoon.  Childe  Horn  lifted 
her  up,  full  of  pity  for  her  deep  distress,  and  began  to 
comfort  her  and  try  to  revive  her.  As  he  held  her  in 
his  arms  he  kissed  her  often,  and  said  : 

295 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

u '  Lady,  dear  love,  take  comfort  and  be  strong  ! 
For  I  will  yield  me  wholly  to  thy  guidance 
If  thou  wilt  compass  one  great  thing  for  me. 
Plead  with  King  Ailmar  that  he  dub  me  knight, 
That  I  may  prove  me  worthy  of  thy  love. 
Soon  shall  my  knighthood  be  no  idle  dream, 
And  I  will  strive  to  do  thy  will,  dear  heart.' " 

Now  at  these  words  Rymenhild  awoke  from  her 
swoon,  and  made  him  repeat  his  promise.  She  said  : 
"  Ah !  Horn,  that  shall  speedily  be  done.  Ere  the 
week  is  past  thou  shalt  be  Sir  Horn,  for  my  father 
loves  thee,  and  will  grant  the  dignity  most  willingly  to 
one  so  dear  to  him.  Go  now  quickly  to  Sir  Athelbrus, 
give  him  as  a  token  of  my  gratitude  this  golden  goblet 
and  this  ring ;  pray  him  that  he  persuade  the  king  to 
dub  thee  knight.  I  will  repay  him  with  rich  rewards 
for  his  gentle  courtesy  to  me.  May  Christ  help  him  to 
speed  thee  in  thy  desires  !  "  Horn  then  took  leave  of 
Rymenhild  with  great  affection,  and  found  Athelbrus, 
to  whom  he  delivered  the  gifts  and  the  princess's 
message,  which  the  steward  received  with  due  reverence. 

Horn  Becomes  a  Knight 

This  plan  seemed  to  Athelbrus  very  good,  for  it 
raised  Horn  to  be  a  member  of  the  noble  Order  of 
Knights,  and  would  give  him  other  chances  of  distin- 
guishing himself.  Accordingly  he  went  to  the  king  as 
he  sat  over  the  evening  meal,  and  spoke  thus  :  "  Sir 
King,  hear  my  words,  for  I  have  counsel  for  thee. 
To-morrow  is  the  festival  of  thy  birth,  and  the  whole 
realm  of  Westernesse  must  rejoice  in  its  master's  joy. 
Wear  thou  thy  crown  in  solemn  state,  and  I  think  it 
were  nought  amiss  if  thou  shouldst  knight  young 
Horn,  who  will  become  a  worthy  defender  of  thy 
throne."  "  That  were  well  done,"  said  King  Ailmar. 
"The  youth  pleases  me,  and  I  will  knight  him  with 
196 


HORN  AND  ATHULF  GO  TO  RYMENHILD 

my  own  sword.     Afterwards  he  shall  knight  his  twelve 
comrades  the  same  day." 

The  next  day  the  ceremony  of  knighting  was  per- 
formed with  all  solemnity,  and  at  its  close  a  great 
banquet  was  prepared  and  all  men  made  merry.  But 
Princess  Rymenhild  was  somewhat  sad.  She  could 
not  descend  to  the  hall  and  take  her  customary  place, 
for  this  was  a  feast  for  knights  alone,  and  she  would 
not  be  without  her  betrothed  one  moment  longer,  so 
she  sent  a  messenger  to  fetch  Sir  Horn  to  her  bower. 

Horn  and  Athulf  Go  to  Rymenhild 

Now  that  Horn  was  a  newly  dubbed  knight  he 
would  not  allow  the  slightest  shadow  of  dishonour 
to  cloud  his  conduct ;  accordingly,  when  he  obeyed 
Rymenhild's  summons  he  was  accompanied  by  Athulf. 
"Welcome,  Sir  Horn  and  Sir  Athulf,"  she  cried, 
holding  out  her  hands  in  greeting.  "  Love,  now  that 
thou  hast  thy  will,  keep  thy  plighted  word  and  make 
me  thy  wife  ;  release  me  from  my  anxiety  and  do  as 
thou  hast  said." 

"  *  Dear  Rymenhild,  hold  thou  thyself  at  peace,' 
Quoth  young  Sir  Horn  ;  *  I  will  perform  my  vow. 
But  first  I  must  ride  forth  to  prove  my  might ; 
Must  conquer  hardships,  and  my  own  worse  self, 
Ere  I  can  hope  to  woo  and  wed  my  bride. 
We  are  but  new-fledged  knights  of  one  day's  growth, 
And  yet  we  know  the  custom  of  our  state 
Is  first  to  fight  and  win  a  hero's  name, 
Then  afterwards  to  win  a  lady's  heart. 
This  day  will  I  do  bravely  for  thy  love 
And  show  my  valour  and  my  deep  devotion 
In  prowess  'gainst  the  foes  of  this  thy  land. 
If  I  come  back  in  peace,  I  claim  my  wife.' " 

Rymenhild  protested  no  longer,  for  she  saw  that 
where  honour  was  concerned  Horn  was  inflexible. 

197 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
"  My  true  knight,"  said  she,  "  I  must  in  sooth  believe 
thee,  and  I  feel  that  I  may.  Take  this  ring  engraved 
with  my  name,  wrought  by  the  most  skilled  worker  of 
our  court,  and  wear  it  always,  for  it  has  magic  virtues. 
The  gems  are  of  such  saving  power  that  thou  shalt  fear 
no  strokes  in  battle,  nor  ever  be  cast  down  if  thou  gaze 
on  this  ring  and  think  of  thy  love.  Athulf,  too,  shall 
have  a  similar  ring.  And  now,  Horn,  I  commend  thee 
to  God,  and  may  Christ  give  thee  good  success  and 
bring  thee  back  in  safety  I " 

Horn's  First  Exploit 

After  taking  an  affectionate  farewell  of  Rymenhild, 
Horn  went  down  to  the  hall,  and,  seeing  all  the  other 
new-made  knights  going  in  to  the  banquet,  he  slipped 
quietly  away  and  betook  himself  to  the  stables.  There 
he  armed  himself  secretly  and  mounted  his  white 
charger,  which  pranced  and  reared  joyfully  as  he  rode 
away  ;  and  Horn  began  to  sing  for  joy  of  heart,  for  he 
had  won  his  chief  desire,  and  was  happy  in  the  love  of 
the  king's  daughter.  As  he  rode  by  the  shore  he  saw 
a  stranger  ship  drawn  up  on  the  beach,  and  recognised 
the  banner  and  accoutrements  of  her  Saracen  crew,  for  he 
had  never  forgotten  the  heathens  who  had  slain  his  father. 
"  What  brings  you  here  ?  "  he  asked  angrily,  and  as 
fearlessly  as  King  Murry  had  done,  and  received  the 
same  answer  :  "  We  will  conquer  this  land  and  slay  the 
inhabitants."  Then  Horn's  anger  rose,  he  gripped  his 
sword,  and  rushed  boldly  at  the  heathens,  and  slew 
many  of  them,  striking  off  a  head  at  each  blow.  The 
onslaught  was  so  sudden  that  the  Saracens  were  taken 
by  surprise  at  first,  but  then  they  rallied  and  surrounded 
Horn,  so  that  matters  began  to  look  dangerous  for  him. 
Then  he  remembered  the  betrothal  ring,  and  looked  on 
it,  thinking  earnestly  of  Rymenhild,  his  dear  love,  and 
298 


Horn  kills  the  Saracen   Leader 


FIKENHILD'S  FALSE  ACCUSATION 

such  courage  came  to  him  that  he  was  able  to  defeat 
the  pagans  and  slay  their  leader.  The  others,  sorely 
wounded — for  none  escaped  unhurt — hurried  on  board 
ship  and  put  to  sea,  and  Horn,  bearing  the  Saracen 
leader's  head  on  his  sword's  point,  rode  back  to  the 
royal  palace.  Here  he  related  to  King  Ailmar  this 
first  exploit  of  his  knighthood,  and  presented  the  head 
of  the  foe  to  the  king,  who  rejoiced  greatly  at  Horn's 
valour  and  success. 

Rymenhild's  Dream 

The  next  day  the  king  and  all  the  court  rode  out 
hunting,  but  Horn  made  an  excuse  to  stay  behind  with 
the  princess,  and  the  false  and  wily  Fikenhild  was  also 
left  at  home,  and  he  crept  secretly  to  Rymenhild's 
bower  to  spy  on  her.  She  was  sitting  weeping  bitterly 
when  Sir  Horn  entered.  He  was  amazed.  "  Love,  for 
mercy's  sake,  why  weepest  thou  so  sorely  ?  "  he  asked  ; 
and  she  replied :  "  I  have  had  a  mournful  dream.  I 
dreamt  that  I  was  casting  a  net  and  had  caught  a  great 
fish,  which  began  to  burst  the  net.  I  greatly  fear  that 
I  shall  lose  my  chosen  fish."  Then  she  looked  sadly  at 
Horn.  But  the  young  knight  was  in  a  cheery  mood, 
and  replied  :  "  May  Christ  and  St.  Stephen  turn  thy 
dream  to  good  !  If  I  am  thy  fish,  I  will  never  deceive 
thee  nor  do  aught  to  displease  thee,  and  hereto  I  plight 
thee  my  troth.  But  I  would  rather  interpret  thy  dream 
otherwise.  This  great  fish  which  burst  thy  net  is 
some  one  who  wishes  us  ill,  and  will  do  us  harm  soon." 
Yet  in  spite  of  Horn's  brave  words  it  was  a  sad 
betrothal,  for  Rymenhild  wept  bitterly,  and  her  lover 
could  not  stop  her  tears. 

Fikenhild's  False  Accusation 

Fikenhild  had  listened  to  all  their  conversation  with 

299 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

growing  envy  and  anger,  and  now  he  stole  away  silently, 
and  met  King  Ailmar  returning  from  the  chase. 

"  *  King  Ailmar,'  said  the  false  one,  *  see,  I  bring] 
A  needed  warning,  that  thou  guard  thyself, 
For  Horn  will  take  thy  life  ;  I  heard  him  vow 
To  slay  thee,  or  by  sword  or  fire,  this  night. 
If  thou  demand  what  cause  of  hate  he  has, 
Know  that  the  villain  wooes  thine  only  child, 
Fair  Rymenhild,  and  hopes  to  wear  thy  crown. 
E'en  now  he  tarries  in  the  maiden's  bower, 
As  he  has  often  done,  and  talks  with  her 
With  guileful  tongue,  and  cunning  show  of  love. 
Unless  thou  banish  him  thou  art  not  safe 
In  life  or  honour,  for  he  knows  no  law.'  " 

The  king  at   first  refused  to   believe   the   envious 
knight's  report,  but,  going  to  Rymenhild's  bower,  he 
found  apparent  confirmation,  for  Horn  was  comforting 
the  princess,  and  promising  to  wed  her  when  he  should 
have  done  worthy  feats  of  arms.      The  king's  wrath 
knew  no  bounds,  and  with  words  of  harsh  reproach  he 
banished  Horn  at  once,  on  pain  of  death.     The  youn 
knight   armed   himself  quickly  and   returned   to   bi 
farewell  to  his  betrothed. 

Horn's  Banishment 

"Dear  heart,"  said  he,  "now  thy  dream  has  come 
true,  and  thy  fish  must  needs  break  the  net  and  be 
gone.  The  enemy  whom  I  foreboded  has  wrought  us 
woe.  Farewell,  mine  own  dear  Rymenhild  ;  I  may  no 
longer  stay,  but  must  wander  in  alien  lands.  If  I  do 
not  return  at  the  end  of  seven  years  take  thyself  a  hus- 
band and  tarry  no  longer  for  me.  And  now  take  me 
in  your  arms  and  kiss  me,  dear  love,  ere  I  go  ! "  So 
they  kissed  each  other  and  bade  farewell,  and  Horn 
called  to  him  his  comrade  Athulf,  saying,  "True  and 
faithful  friend,  guard  well  my  dear  love.  Thou  hast 
300 


HORN  SLAYS  THE  GIANT  EMIR 

never  forsaken  me  ;  now  do  thou  keep  Rymenhild  for 
me."  Then  he  rode  away,  and,  reaching  the  haven, 
hired  a  good  ship  and  sailed  for  Ireland,  where  he  took 
service  with  King  Thurston,  under  the  name  of  Cuth- 
bert.  In  Ireland  he  became  sworn  brother  to  the 
king's  two  sons,  Harold  and  Berild,  for  they  loved  him 
from  the  first  moment  they  saw  him,  and  were  in  no 
way  jealous  of  his  beauty  and  valour. 

Horn  Slays  the  Giant  Emir 

When  Christmas  came,  and  King  Thurston  sat  at  the 
banquet  with  all  his  lords,  at  noontide  a  giant  strode 
into  the  hall,  bearing  a  message  of  defiance.  He  came 
from  the  Saracens,  and  challenged  any  three  Irish  knights 
to  fight  one  Saracen  champion.  Ir  the  Irish  won  the 
pagans  would  withdraw  from  Ireland ;  if  the  Irish 
chiefs  were  slain  the  Saracens  would  hold  the  land. 
The  combat  was  to  be  decided  the  next  day  at  dawn. 
King  Thurston  accepted  the  challenge,  and  named 
Harold,  Berild,  and  Cuthbert  (as  Horn  was  called)  as 
the  Christian  champions,  because  they  were  the  best 
warriors  in  Ireland ;  but  Horn  begged  permission  to 
speak,  and  said  :  "  Sir  King,  it  is  not  right  that  one  man 
should  fight  against  three,  and  one  heathen  hound  think 
to  resist  three  Christian  warriors.  I  will  fight  and  con- 
quer him  alone,  for  I  could  as  easily  slay  three  of  them." 
At  last  the  king  allowed  Horn  to  attempt  the  combat 
alone,  and  spent  the  night  in  sorrowful  musing  on  the 
result  of  the  contest,  while  Horn  slept  well  and  arose 
and  armed  himself  cheerily.  He  then  aroused  the 
king,  and  the  Irish  troop  rode  out  to  a  fair  and  level 
green  lawn,  where  they  found  the  emir  with  many 
companions  awaiting  them.  The  combat  began  at 
once,  and  Horn  gave  blows  so  mighty  that  the  pagan 
onlookers  fell  swooning  through  very  fear,  till  Horn 

301 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

said  :  "  Now,  knights,  rest  for  a  time,  if  it  pleases  you." 
Then  the  Saracens  spoke  together,  saying  aloud  that  no 
man  had  ever  so  daunted  them  before  except  King 
Murry  of  Suddene. 

This  mention  of  his  dead  father  aroused  Horn,  who 
now  realized  that  he  saw  before  him  his  father's 
murderers.  His  anger  was  kindled,  he  looked  at  his 
ring  and  thought  of  Rymenhild,  and  then,  drawing  his 
sword  again,  he  rushed  at  the  heathen  champion.  The 
giant  fell  pierced  through  the  heart,  and  his  companions 
fled  to  their  ships,  hotly  pursued  by  Horn  and  his 
company.  Much  fighting  there  was,  and  in  the  hot 
strife  near  the  ships  the  king's  two  sons,  Harold  and 
Berild,  were  both  slain. 

Horn  Refuses  the  Throne 

Sadly  they  were  laid  on  a  bier  and  brought  back 
to  the  palace,  their  sorrowful  father  lamenting  their 
early  death  ;  and  when  he  had  wept  his  fill  the  mourn- 
ful king  came  into  the  hall  where  all  his  knights  silently 
awaited  him.  Slowly  he  came  up  to  Horn  as  he  sat  a 
little  apart  from  the  rest,  and  said :  "  Cuthbert,  wilt 
thou  fulfil  my  desire  ?  My  heirs  are  slain,  and  thou 
art  the  best  knight  in  Ireland  for  strength  and  beauty 
and  valour ;  I  implore  thee  to  wed  Reynild,  my  only 
daughter  (now,  alas  !  my  only  child),  and  to  rule  my 
realm.  Wilt  thou  do  so,  and  lift  the  burden  of  my 
cares  from  my  weary  shoulders  ? "  But  Horn  replied : 
"O  Sir  King,  it  were  wrong  for  me  to  receive  thy  fair 
daughter  and  heir  and  rule  thy  realm,  as  thou  dost 
offer.  I  shall  do  thee  yet  better  service,  my  liege, 
before  I  die  ;  and  I  know  that  thy  grief  will  change  ere 
seven  years  have  passed  away.  When  that  time  is 
over,  Sir  King,  give  me  my  reward  :  thou  shalt  not 
refuse  me  thy  daughter  when  1  desire  her."  To  this 
301 


RYMENHILD'S  DISTRESS 

King  Thurston  agreed,  and  Horn  dwelt  in  Ireland  for 
seven  years,  and  sent  no  word  or  token  to  Rymenhild 
all  the  time. 

Rymenhild's  Distress 

In  the  meantime  Princess  Rymenhild  was  in  great 
perplexity  and  trouble,  for  a  powerful  ruler,  King  Modi 
of  Reynes,  wooed  her  for  his  wife,  and  her  own  be- 
trothed sent  her  no  token  of  his  life  or  love.  Her 
father  accepted  the  new  suitor  for  her  hand,  and  the 
day  of  the  wedding  was  fixed,  so  that  Rymenhild  could 
no  longer  delay  her  marriage.  In  her  extremity  she 
besought  Athulf  to  write  letters  to  Horn,  begging  him 
to  return  and  claim  his  bride  and  protect  her ;  and 
these  letters  she  delivered  to  several  messengers,  bid- 
ding them  search  in  all  lands  until  they  found  Sir  Horn 
and  gave  the  letters  into  his  own  hand.  Horn  knew 
nought  of  this,  till  one  day  in  the  forest  he  met  a  weary 
youth,  all  but  exhausted,  who  told  how  he  had  sought 
Horn  in  vain.  When  Horn  declared  himself,  the 
youth  broke  out  into  loud  lamentations  over  Rymen- 
hild's unhappy  fate,  and  delivered  the  letter  which 
explained  all  her  distress.  Now  it  was  Horn's  turn  to 
weep  bitterly  for  his  love's  troubles,  and  he  bade  the 
messenger  return  to  his  mistress  and  tell  her  to  cease 
her  tears,  for  Horn  would  be  there  in  time  to  rescue 
her  from  her  hated  bridegroom.  The  youth  returned 
joyfully,  but  as  his  boat  neared  the  shore  oT  Wester- 
nesse  a  storm  arose  and  the  messenger  was  drowned  ; 
so  that  Rymenhild,  opening  her  tower  door  to  look  for 
expected  succour,  found  her  messenger  lying  dead  at 
the  foot  of  the  tower,  and  felt  that  all  hope  was  gone. 
She  wept  and  wrung  her  hands,  but  nothi;ig  that  she 
could  do  would  avert  the  evil  day. 


303 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Horn  and  King  Thurston 

As  soon  as  Horn  had  read  Rymenhild's  letter  he 
went  to  King  Thurston  and  revealed  the  whole  matter 
to  him.  He  told  of  his  own  royal  parentage,  his  exile, 
his  knighthood,  his  betrothal  to  the  princess,  and  his 
banishment  ;  then  of  the  death  of  the  Saracen  leader 
who  had  slain  King  Murry,  and  the  vengeance  he  had 
taken.  Then  he  ended  : 

"  *  King  Thurston,  be  thou  wise,  and  grant  my  boon  ; 
Repay  the  service  I  have  yielded  thee  ; 
Help  me  to  save  my  princess  from  this  woe. 
I  will  take  counsel  for  fair  Reynild's  fate, 
For  she  shall  wed  Sir  Athulf,  my  best  friend, 
My  truest  comrade  and  my  doughtiest  knight. 
If  ever  I  have  risked  my  life  for  thee 
And  proved  myself  in  battle,  grant  my  prayer.' " 

To  this  the  king  replied  :  "  Childe  Horn,  do  what 
thou  wilt." 

Horn  Returns  on  the  Wedding-day 

Horn  at  once  invited  Irish  knights  to  accompany  him 
to  Westernesse  to  rescue  his  love  from  a  hateful  mar- 
riage, and  many  came  eagerly  to  fight  in  the  cause  of 
the  valiant  Cuthbert  who  had  defended  Ireland  for 
seven  years.  Thus  it  was  with  a  goodly  company  that 
Horn  took  ship,  and  landed  in  King  Ailmar's  realm  ; 
and  he  came  in  a  happy  hour,  for  it  was  the  wedding- 
day  of  Princess  Rymenhild  and  King  Modi  of  Reynes. 
The  Irish  knights  landed  and  encamped  in  a  wood, 
while  Horn  went  on  alone  to  learn  tidings.  Meeting  a 
palmer,  he  asked  the  news,  and  the  palmer  replied  :  "  I 
have  been  at  the  wedding  of  Princess  Rymenhild,  and 
a  sad  sight  it  was,  for  the  bride  was  wedded  against  her 
will,  vowine  she  had  a  husband  though  he  is  a  banished 
304 


THE  RECOGNITION 

man.  She  would  take  no  ring  nor  utter  any  vows  ;  but 
the  service  was  read,  and  afterwards  King  Modi  took 
her  to  a  strong  castle,  where  not  even  a  palmer  was 
given  entrance.  I  came  away,  for  I  could  not  endure 
the  pity  of  it.  The  bride  sits  weeping  sorely,  and  if 
report  be  true  her  heart  is  like  to  break  with  grief." 

Horn  is  Disguised  as  a  Palmer 

"Come,  palmer,"  said  Horn,  "lend  me  your  cloak 
and  scrip.  I  must  see  this  strange  bridal,  and  it  may 
be  I  shall  make  some  there  repent  of  the  wrong  they 
have  done  to  a  helpless  maiden.  I  will  essay  to  enter." 
The  change  was  soon  made,  and  Horn  darkened  his 
face  and  hands  as  if  bronzed  with  Eastern  suns,  bowed 
his  back,  and  gave  his  voice  an  old  man's  feebleness,  so 
that  no  man  would  have  known  him  ;  which  done,  he 
made  his  way  to  King  Modi's  new  castle.  Here  he 
begged  admittance  for  charity's  sake,  that  he  might 
share  the  broken  bits  of  the  wedding  feast ;  but  he  was 
churlishly  refused  by  the  porter,  who  would  not  be 
moved  by  any  entreaties.  At  last  Horn  lost  all  patience, 
and  broke  open  the  door,  and  threw  the  porter  out 
over  the  drawbridge  into  the  moat  ;  then,  once  more 
assuming  his  disguise,  he  made  his  way  into  the  hall 
and  sat  down  in  the  beggars'  row. 

The  Recognition 

Rymenhild  was  weeping  still,  and  her  stern  husband 
seemed  only  angered  by  her  tears.  Horn  looked  about 
cautiously,  but  saw  no  sign  of  Athulf,  his  trusted 
comrade  ;  for  he  was  at  this  time  eagerly  looking  foi 
his  friend's  coming  from  the  lofty  watch-tower,  and 
lamenting  that  he  could  guard  the  princess  no  longer. 
At  last,  when  the  banquet  was  nearly  over,  Rymenhild 
rose  to  pour  out  wine  for  the  guests,  as  the  custom  was 

305 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

then  ;  and  she  bqre  a  horn  of  ale  or  wine  along  the 
benches  to  each  person  there.  Horn,  sitting  humbly 
on  the  ground,  called  out :  "  Come,  courteous  Queen, 
turn  to  me,  for  we  beggars  are  thirsty  folk."  Rymen- 
hild  smiled  sadly,  and,  setting  down  the  horn,  filled  a 
bowl  with  brown  ale,  for  she  thought  him  a  drunkard. 
"  Here,  drink  this,  and  more  besides,  if  thou  wilt ;  I 
never  saw  so  bold  a  beggar,"  she  said.  ButHorn 
refused.  He  handed  the  bowl  to  the  other  beggars, 
and  said  :  "  Lady,  I  will  drink  nought  but  from  a  silver 
cup,  for  I  am  not  what  you  think  me.  I  am  no  beggar, 
but  a  fisher,  come  from  afar  to  fish  at  thy  wedding  feast. 
My  net  lies  near  by,  and  has  lain  there  for  seven  years, 
and  I  am  come  to  see  if  it  has  caught  any  fish.  Drink 
to  me,  and  drink  to  Horn  from  thy  horn,  for  far  have 
I  journeyed." 

When  the  palmer  spoke  of  fishing,  and  his  seven- 
year-old  net,  Rymenhild  felt  cold  at  heart ;  she  did 
not  recognise  him,  but  wondered  greatly  when  he  bade 
her  drink  "to  Horn."  She  filled  her  cup  and  gave  it 
to  the  palmer,  saying,  "Drink  thy  fill,  and  then  tell 
me  if  thou  hast  ever  seen  Horn  in  thy  wanderings." 
As  the  palmer  drank,  he  dropped  his  ring  into  the  cup  ; 
then  he  returned  it  to  Rymenhild,  saying,  "Queen, 
seek  out  what  is  in  thy  draught."  She  said  nothing 
then,  but  left  the  hall  with  her  maidens  and  went  to 
her  bower,  where  she  found  the  well-remembered  ring 
she  had  given  to  Horn  in  token  of  betrothal.  Greatly 
she  feared  that  Horn  was  dead,  and  sent  for  the  palmer, 
whom  she  questioned  as  to  whence  he  had  got  the  ring. 

Horn's  Stratagem 

Horn  thought  he  would  test  her  love  for  him,  since 
she  had  not  recognised  him,  so  he  replied :  "  By 
St.  Giles,  lady,  I  have  wandered  many  a  mile,  far 
306 


Now,  in  her  misery,  she  set  the  dagger  to  her  heart  "        306 


HORN  SLAYS  KING  MODI 

into  realms  of  the  West,  and  there  I  found  Sir  Horn 
ready  prepared  to  sail  home  to  your  land.  He  told 
me  that  he  planned  to  reach  the  realm  of  Westernesse 
in  time  to  see  you  before  seven  years  had  passed,  and  1 
embarked  with  him.  The  winds  were  favourable  and  we 
had  a  quick  voyage,  but,  alas  !  he  fell  ill  and  died.  When 
he  lay  dying  he  begged  me  piteously,  'Take  this  ring, 
from  which  I  have  never  been  parted,  to  my  dear  lady 
Rymenhild,'  and  he  kissed  it  many  times  and  pressed  it  to 
his  breast.  May  God  give  his  soul  rest  in  Paradise  !  " 
When  Rymenhild  heard  those  terrible  tidings  she 
sighed  deeply  and  said  :  "  O  heart,  burst  now,  for  thou 
shalt  never  more  have  Horn,  for  love  of  whom  thou 
hast  been  tormented  so  sorely  ! "  Then  she  fell  upon 
her  bed,  and  grasped  the  dagger  which  she  had  con- 
cealed there ;  for  if  Horn  did  not  come  in  time  she 
had  planned  to  slay  both  her  hateful  lord  and  herself 
that  very  night.  Now,  in  her  misery,  she  set  the  dagger 
to  her  heart,  and  would  have  slain  herself  at  once,  had 
not  the  palmer  interrupted  her.  Rushing  forward,  he 
exclaimed :  "  Dear  Queen  and  lady,  I  am  Horn,  thine 
own  true  love.  Dost  thou  not  recognise  me  ?  I  am 
Childe  Horn  of  Westernesse.  Take  me  in  thy  arms, 
dear  love,  and  kiss  me  welcome  home."  As  Rymenhild 
stared  incredulously  at  him,  letting  the  dagger  fall  from 
her  trembling  hand,  he  hurriedly  cast  away  his  disguise, 
brushed  off  the  disfiguring  stain  he  had  put  on  his 
cheeks,  and  stood  up  straight  and  strong,  her  own  noble 
knight  and  lover.  What  joy  they  had  together  !  How 
they  told  each  other  of  all  their  adventures  and  troubles, 
and  how  they  embraced  and  kissed  each  other  ! 

Horn  Slays  King  Modi 

When  their  joy  had  become  calmer,  Horn  said  to  his 

lady  :  "  Dear  Rymenhild,  I  must  leave  thee  now,  and 

y  307 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

return  to  my  knights,  who  are  encamped  in  the  forest. 
Within  an  hour  I  will  return  to  the  feast  and  give 
the  king  and  his  guests  a  stern  lesson."  Then  he  flung 
away  the  palmer's  cloak,  and  went  forth  in  knightly 
array  ;  while  the  princess  went  up  to  the  watch-tower, 
where  Athulf  still  scanned  the  sea  for  some  sign  of 
Horn's  coming.  Rymenhild  said:  "Sir  Athulf,  true 
friend,  go  quickly  to  Horn,  for  he  has  arrived,  and 
with  him  he  brings  a  great  army."  The  knight  gladly 
hastened  to  the  courtyard,  mounted  his  steed,  and  soon 
overtook  Horn.  They  were  greatly  rejoiced  to  meet 
again,  and  had  much  to  tell  each  other  and  to  plan  for 
that  day's  work. 

In  the  evening  Horn  and  his  army  reached  the  castle, 
where  they  found  the  gates  undone  for  them  by  their 
friends  within,  and  in  a  short  but  desperate  conflict 
King  Modi  and  all  the  guests  at  the  banquet  were 
slain,  except  Rymenhild,  her  father,  and  Horn's  twelve 
comrades.  Then  a  new  wedding  was  celebrated,  for 
King  Ailmar  durst  not  refuse  his  daughter  to  the 
victor,  and  the  bridal  was  now  one  of  real  rejoicing, 
though  the  king  was  somewhat  bitter  of  mood. 

Horn's  Departure 

When  the  hours  wore  on  to  midnight,  Horn,  sitting 
beside  his  bride,  called  for  silence  in  the  hall,  and 
addressed  the  king  thus  :  "  Sir  King,  I  pray  thee  listen 
to  my  tale,  for  I  have  much  to  say  and  much  to  explain. 
My  name  is  in  sooth  Horn,  and  I  am  the  son  of  King 
Murry  of  Suddene,  who  was  slain  by  the  Saracens. 
Thou  didst  cherish  me  and  give  me  knighthood,  and  I 

roved  myself  a  true  knight  on  the  very  day  when 
was  dubbed.     Thou  didst  love  me  then,  but  evil 
men  accused  me  to  thee  and  I  was  banished.     For  seven 
years  T  have  lived  in  a  strange  land  ;  but  now  that  I 


THE  APOSTATE  KNIGHT 

have  returned,  I  have  won  thy  fair  daughter  as  my 
bride.  But  I  cannot  dwell  here  in  idleness  while  the 
heathen  hold  my  father's  land.  I  vow  by  the  Holy 
Rood  that  I  will  not  rest,  and  will  not  claim  my  wife, 
until  I  have  purified  Suddene  from  the  infidel  invaders, 
and  can  lay  its  crown  at  Rymenhild's  feet.  Do  thou, 
O  King,  guard  well  my  wife  till  my  return." 

The  king  consented  to  this  proposal,  and,  in  spite  of 
Rymenhild's  grief,  Horn  immediately  bade  her  farewell, 
and  with  his  whole  army  embarked  for  Suddene,  this 
time  accompanied  by  Athulf,  but  leaving  the  rest  of  his 
comrades  for  the  protection  of  his  wife. 

The  Apostate  Knight 

The  wind  blew  fair  for  Suddene,  and  the  fleet  reached 
the  port.  The  warriors  disembarked,  and  marched  in- 
land, to  encamp  for  the  night  in  a  wood,  where  they 
could  be  hidden.  Horn  and  Athulf  set  out  at  midnight 
to  endeavour  to  obtain  news  of  the  foe,  and  soon  found 
a  solitary  knight  sleeping.  They  awoke  him  roughly, 
saying,  "  Knight,  awake  !  Why  sleepest  thou  here  ? 
What  dost  thou  guard  ? "  The  knight  sprang  lightly 
from  the  ground,  saw  their  faces  and  the  shining  crosses 
on  their  shields,  and  cast  down  his  eyes  in  shame,  say- 
ing, "  Alas  !  I  have  served  these  pagans  against  my  will. 
In  time  gone  by  I  was  a  Christian,  but  now  I  am  a 
coward  renegade,  who  forsook  his  God  for  fear  of  death 
at  the  hands  of  the  Saracens  !  I  hate  my  infidel  masters, 
but  I  fear  them  too,  and  they  have  forced  me  to  guard 
this  district  and  keep  watch  against  Horn's  return.  If 
he  should  come  to  his  own  again  how  glad  I  should 
be  !  These  infidels  slew  his  father,  and  drove  him  into 
exile,  with  his  twelve  comrades,  among  whom  was  my 
own  son,  Athulf,  who  loved  the  prince  as  his  own  life. 
If  the  prince  is  yet  alive,  and  my  son  also,  God  grant 

fop 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
that   I    may   see   them   both    again !     Then  would  I 
joyfully  die." 

The  Recognition 

Horn  answered  quickly  :  "  Sir  Knight,  be  glad  and 
rejoice,  for  here  are  we,  Horn  and  Athulf,  come  to 
avenge  my  father  and  retake  my  realm  from  the 
heathen."  Athulf 's  father  was  overcome  with  joy  and 
shame  ;  he  hardly  dared  to  embrace  his  son,  yet  the 
bliss  of  meeting  was  so  great  that  he  clasped  Athulf  in 
his  arms  and  prayed  his  forgiveness  for  the  disgrace 
he  had  brought  upon  him.  The  two  young  knights 
said  nothing  of  his  past  weakness,  but  told  him  all  their 
own  adventures,  and  at  last  he  said  :  "  What  is  your  true 
errand  hither  ?  Can  you  two  alone  slay  the  heathen  ? 
Dear  Childe  Horn,  what  joy  this  will  be  to  thy  mother 
Godhild,  who  still  lives  in  a  solitary  retreat,  praying  for 
thee  and  for  the  land  !  "  Horn  broke  in  on  his  speech 
with  "  Blessed  be  the  hour  when  I  returned  !  Thank 
God  that  my  mother  yet  lives  !  We  are  not  alone,  but 
I  have  an  army  of  valiant  Irish  warriors,  who  will  help 
me  to  regain  my  realm." 

The  Reconquest  of  Suddene 

Now  the  king  blew  his  horn,  and  his  host  marched 
out  from  the  wood  and  prepared  to  attack  the  Saracens. 
The  news  soon  spread  that  Childe  Horn  had  returned, 
and  many  men  who  had  accepted  the  faith  of  Mahomet 
for  fear  of  death  now  threw  off  the  hated  religion, 
joined  the  true  king's  army,  and  were  rebaptized.  The 
war  was  not  long,  for  the  Saracens  had  made  them- 
selves universally  hated,  and  the  inhabitants  rose  against 
them ;  so  that  in  a  short  time  the  country  was  purged 
of  the  infidels,  who  were  slain  or  fled  to  other  lands. 
Then  Horn  brought  his  mother  from  her  retreat,  and 
310 


HORN'S  DREAM 

together  they  purified  the  churches  which  had  been 
desecrated,  and  restored  the  true  faith.  When  the 
land  of  Suddene  was  again  a  Christian  realm  King 
Horn  was  crowned  with  solemn  rites,  and  a  great 
coronation  feast  was  held,  which  lasted  too  long  for 
Horn's  true  happiness. 

Fikenhild  Imprisons  Rymenhild 

During  Horn's  absence  from  Westernesse,  his  com- 
rades watched  carefully  over  Rymenhild ;  but  her  father, 
who  was  growing  old,  had  fallen  much  under  the 
influence  of  the  plausible  Fikenhild.  From  the  day 
when  Fikenhild  had  falsely  accused  Horn  to  the  king, 
Ailmar  had  held  him  in  honour  as  a  loyal  servant,  and 
now  he  had  such  power  over  the  old  ruler  that  when 
he  demanded  Rymenhild's  hand  in  marriage,  saying 
that  Horn  was  dead  in  Suddene,  the  king  dared  not 
refuse,  and  the  princess  was  bidden  to  make  ready  for 
a  new  bridal.  For  this  day  Fikenhild  had  long  been 
prepared  ;  he  had  built  a  massive  fortress  on  a  promon- 
tory, which  at  high  tide  was  surrounded  by  the  sea, 
but  was  easy  of  access  at  the  ebb  ;  thither  he  now  led 
the  weeping  princess,  and  began  a  wedding  feast  which 
was  to  last  all  day,  and  to  end  only  with  the  marriage 
ceremony  at  night. 

Horn's  Dream 

That  same  night,  before  the  feast,  King  Horn  had  a 
terrible  dream.  He  thought  he  saw  his  wife  taken 
on  board  ship  ;  soon  the  ship  began  to  sink,  and  Rymen- 
hild held  out  her  hands  for  rescue,  but  Fikenhild, 
standing  in  safety  on  shore,  beat  her  back  into  the 
waves  with  his  sword.  With  the  agony  of  the  sight 
Horn  awoke,  and,  calling  his  comrade  Athulf,  said  : 
"  Friend,  we  must  depart  to-day.  My  wife  is  in  danger 

311 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
from  false  Fikenhild,  whom  I  have  trusted  too  much. 
Let  us  delay  no  longer,  but  go  at  once.  If  God  will, 
I  hope  to  release  her,  and  to  punish  Fikenhild.  God 
grant  we  come  in  time  !  "  With  some  few  chosen 
knights,  King  Horn  and  Athulf  set  out,  and  the  ship 
drove  darkling  through  the  sea,  they  knew  not  whither. 
All  the  night  they  drifted  on,  and  in  the  morning  found 
themselves  beneath  a  newly  built  castle,  which  none  of 
them  had  seen  before. 

Horn's  Disguise 

While  they  were  seeking  to  moor  their  boat  to  the 
shore,  one  of  the  castle  windows  looking  out  to  sea 
opened,  and  they  saw  a  knight  standing  and  gazing  sea- 
ward, whom  they  speedily  recognised ;  it  was  Athulfs 
cousin,  Sir  Arnoldin,  one  of  the  twelve  comrades,  who 
had  accompanied  the  princess  thither  in  the  hope  that 
he  might  yet  save  her  from  Fikenhild  ;  he  was  now 
looking,  as  a  forlorn  hope,  over  the  sea,  though  he 
believed  Horn  was  dead.  His  joy  was  great  when  he 
saw  the  knights,  and  he  came  out  to  them  and  speedily 
told  them  of  Rymenhild's  distress  and  the  position  of 
affairs  in  the  castle.  King  Horn  was  not  at  a  loss  for 
an  expedient  even  in  this  distress.  He  quickly  dis- 
guised himself  and  a  few  of  his  comrades  as  minstrels, 
karpers,  fiddlers,  and  jugglers.  Then,  rowing  to  the 
mainland,  he  waited  till  low  tide,  and  made  his  way 
over  the  beach  to  the  castle,  accompanied  by  his  dis- 
guised comrades.  Outside  the  castle  walls  they  began 
to  play  and  sing,  and  Rymenhild  heard  them,  and, 
asking  what  the  sounds  were,  gave  orders  that  the 
minstrels  should  be  admitted.  They  sat  on  benche* 
low  down  the  hall,  tuning  their  harps  and  fiddles, 
and  watching  the  bride,  who  seemed  unhappy  and 
pale.  When  Horn  sang  a  lay  of  true  love  and  happi- 
312 


Horn  and  his  followers  disguised  as  minstrels  312 


DEATH  OF  FIKENHILD 

ness,  Rymenhild  swooned  for  grief,  and  the  king  was 
touched  to  the  heart  with  bitter  remorse  that  he  had 
tried  her  constancy  so  long,  and  had  allowed  her  to 
endure  such  hardships  and  misery  for  his  sake. 

Death  of  Fikenhild 

King  Horn  now  glanced  down  and  saw  the  ring  of 
betrothal  on  his  finger,  where  he  had  worn  it  ever,  except 
that  fateful  day  when  he  had  given  it  as  a  token  of 
recognition  to  Rymenhild.  He  thought  of  his  wife's 
sufferings,  and  his  mind  was  made  up.  Springing  from 
the  minstrels'  bench,  he  strode  boldly  up  the  hall, 
throwing  off  his  disguise,  and,  shouting,  "  I  am  King 
Horn  !  False  Fikenhild,  thou  shalt  die  !  "  he  slew  the 
villain  in  the  midst  of  his  men.  Horn's  comrades  like- 
wise flung  off  their  disguise,  and  soon  overpowered  the 
few  of  the  household  who  cared  to  fight  in  their  dead 
master's  cause.  The  castle  was  taken  for  King  Ailmar, 
who  was  persuaded  to  nominate  Sir  Arnoldin  his  heir, 
and  the  baronage  of  Westernesse  did  homage  to  him  as 
the  next  king.  Horn  and  his  fair  wife  begged  the  good 
old  steward  Sir  Athelbrus  to  go  with  them  to  Suddene, 
and  on  the  way  they  touched  at  Ireland,  where  Reynild, 
the  king's  fair  daughter,  was  induced  to  look  favourably 
on  Sir  Athulf  and  accept  him  for  her  husband.  The 
land  of  King  Modi,  which  had  now  no  ruler,  was  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of  Sir  Athelbrus,  and  Horn  and 
Rymenhild  at  last  reached  Suddene,  where  the  people 
received  their  fair  queen  with  great  joy,  and  where  they 
dwelt  in  happiness  till  their  lives'  end 


3*3 


CHAPTER  XV:  ROBIN  HOOD 

Introduction 

ENGLAND  during  the  twelfth,  thirteenth,  and  four- 
teenth centuries  was  slowly  taught  the  value 
of  firm  administrative  government.  In  Saxon 
England,  the  keeping  of  the  peace  and  the  maintenance 
of  justice  had  been  left  largely  to  private  and  family  enter- 
prise and  to  local  and  trading  communities.  In  Norman 
England,  the  royal  authority  was  asserted  throughout  the 
kingdom,  though  as  yet  the  king  had  to  depend  in  large 
measure  upon  the  co-operation  of  his  barons  and  the  help 
of  the  burghers  to  supply  the  lack  of  a  standing  army  and 
an  adequate  police.  Under  the  Plantagenets,  the  older 
chivalry  was  slowly  breaking  up,  and  a  new, -wealthy 
burgher  and  trading  community  was  rapidly  gaining 
influence  in  the  land  ;  whilst  the  clergy,  corrupted  by 
excess  of  wealth  and  power,  had  strained,  almost  to 
breaking,  the  controlling  force  of  religion.  It  was 
therefore  natural  that  in  these  latter  days  a  class  of 
men  should  arise  to  avail  themselves  of  the  unique 
opportunities  of  the  time — men  who,  loving  liberty  and 
hating  oppression,  took  the  law  into  their  own  hands  and 
executed  a  rough  and  ready  justice  between  the  rich  and 
the  poor  which  embodied  the  best  traditions  of  knight- 
srrantry,  whilst  they  themselves  lived  a  free  and  merry 
:ife  on  the  tolls  they  exacted  from  their  wealthy  victims. 
Such  a  man  may  well  have  been  the  original  Robin 
Hood,  a  man  who,  when  once  he  had  captured  the 
popular  imagination,  soon  acquired  heroic  reputation 
and  was  credited  with  every  daring  deed  and  every  mag- 
nanimous action  in  two  centuries  of c  freebooting.' 

Robin  Hood  Seeks  a  Guest 

At  one  time  Robin  Hood  lived  in  the  noble  forest  of 


ROBIN  HOOD  SEEKS  A  GUEST 

Barnesdale,  in  Yorkshire.  He  had  but  few  of  his  merry 
men  with  him,  for  his  headquarters  were  in  the  glorious 
forest  of  Sherwood.  Just  now,  however,  the  Sheriff  of 
Nottinghamshire  was  less  active  in  his  endeavours  to  put 
down  the  band  of  outlaws,  and  the  leader  had  wandered 
farther  north  than  usual.  Robin's  companions  were  his 
three  dearest  comrades  and  most  loyal  followers,  Little 
John  (so  called  because  of  his  great  stature),  Will  Scarlet, 
Robin's  cousin,  and  Much,  the  miller's  son.  These  three 
were  all  devoted  to  their  leader,  and  never  left  his  side, 
except  at  such  times  as  he  sent  them  away  on  his  business. 
On  this  day  Robin  was  leaning  against  a  tree,  lost  in 
thought,  and  his  three  followers  grew  impatient ;  they 
knew  that  before  dinner  could  be  served  there  were  the 
three  customary  Masses  to  hear,  and  their  leader  gave 
no  sign  of  being  ready  for  Mass.  Robin  always  heard 
three  Masses  before  his  dinner,  one  of  the  Father,  one 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  last  of  Our  Lady,  who  was 
his  patron  saint  and  protector.  As  the  three  yeomen 
were  growing  hungry,  Little  John  ventured  to  address 
him.  "  Master,  it  would  do  you  good  if  you  would 
dine  early  to-day,  for  you  have  fasted  long."  Robin 
aroused  himself  and  smiled.  "Ah,  Little  John,  me- 
thinks  care  for  thine  own  appetite  hath  a  share  in  that 
speech,  as  well  as  care  for  me.  But  in  sooth  I  care  not 
to  dine  alone.  I  would  have  a  stranger  guest,  some 
abbot  or  bishop  or  baron,  who  would  pay  us  for  our 
hospitality.  I  will  not  dine  till  a  guest  be  found,  and 
I  leave  it  to  you  three  to  find  him."  Robin  turned 
away,  laughing  at  the  crestfallen  faces  of  his  followers, 
who  had  not  counted  on  such  a  vague  commission  ; 
but  Little  John,  quickly  recovering  himself,  called  to 
him  :  "  Master,  tell  us,  before  we  leave  vou,  where  we 
shall  meet,  and  what  sort  of  people  we  are  to  capture 
and  bring  to  you  in  the  greenwood." 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

The  Outlaws'  Rules 

"  You  know  that  already,"  said  their  master.  "  You 
are  to  do  no  harm  to  women,  nor  to  any  company  in 
which  a  woman  is  travelling  ;  this  is  in  honour  of  our 
dear  Lady.  You  are  to  be  kind  and  gentle  to  husbandmen 
and  toilers  of  all  degrees,  to  worthy  knights  and  yeo- 
men, to  gallant  squires,  and  to  all  children  and  helpless 
people  ;  but  sheriffs  (especially  him  of  Nottingham), 
bishops,  and  prelates  of  all  kinds,  and  usurers  in  Church 
and  State,  you  may  regard  as  your  enemies,  and  may 
rob,  beat,  and  despoil  in  any  way.  Meet  me  with  your 
guest  at  our  great  trysting  oak  in  the  forest,  and  be 
speedy,  for  dinner  must  wait  until  the  visitor  has 
arrived."  "  Now  may  God  send  us  a  suitable  traveller 
soon,"  said  Little  John,  "  for  I  am  hungry  for  dinner 
now."  "So  am  I,"  said  each  of  the  others,  and 
Robin  laughed  again.  "Go  ye  all  three,  with  bows 
and  arrows  in  hand,  and  I  will  stay  alone  at  the  trysting 
tree  and  await  your  coming.  As  no  man  passes  this 
way,  you  can  walk  up  to  the  willow  plantation  and 
take  your  stand  on  Watling  Street  ;  there  you  will 
soon  meet  with  likely  travellers,  and  I  will  accept  the 
first  who  appears.  I  will  find  means  to  have  dinner 
ready  against  your  return,  and  we  will  hope  that  our 
visitor's  generosity  will  compensate  us  for  the  trouble 
of  cooking  his  dinner." 

Robin  Hood's  Guest 

The  three  yeomen,  taking  their  longbows  in  hand 
and  arrows  in  their  belts,  walked  up  through  the  willow 
plantation  to  a  place  on  Watling  Street  where  another 
road  crossed  it ;  but  there  was  no  one  in  sight.  As 
they  stood  with  bows  in  hand,  looking  towards  the 
forest  of  Barnesdale,  they  saw  in  the  distance  a  knight 


Little  John  caught  the  horse  by  the  bridle  " 


ROBIN  HOOD'S  FEAST 

riding  in  their  direction.  As  he  drew  nearer  they 
were  struck  by  his  appearance,  for  he  rode  as  a  man 
who  had  lost  all  interest  in  life ;  his  clothes  were 
disordered,  he  looked  neither  to  right  nor  left,  but 
drooped  his  head  sadly,  while  one  foot  hung  in  the 
stirrup  and  the  other  dangled  slackly  in  the  air.  The 
yeomen  had  never  seen  so  doleful  a  rider  ;  but,  sad  as 
he  was,  this  was  a  visitor  and  must  be  taken  to  Robin  ; 
accordingly  Little  John  stepped  forward  and  caught  the 
horse  by  the  bridle. 

Little  John  Escorts  the  Knight 

The  knight  raised  his  head  and  looked  blankly  at  the 
outlaw,  who  at  once  doffed  his  cap,  saying,  "  Welcome, 
Sir  Knight !  I  give  you,  on  my  master's  behalf,  a  hearty 
welcome  to  the  greenwood.  Gentle  knight,  come  now 
to  my  master,  who  hath  waited  three  hours,  fasting, 
for  your  approach  before  he  would  dine.  Dinner  is 
prepared,  and  only  tarries  your  courteous  appearance." 
The  stranger  knight  seemed  to  consider  this  address 
carefully,  for  he  sighed  deeply,  and  then  said  :  "  I  cry 
thee  mercy,  good  fellow,  for  the  delay,  though  I  wot 
not  how  I  am  the  cause  thereof.  But  who  is  thy 
master  ? "  Little  John  replied :  "  My  master's  name  is 
Robin  Hood,  and  I  am  sent  to  guide  you  to  him."  The 
knight  said  :  "  So  Robin  Hood  is  thy  leader  ?  I  have 
heard  of  him,  and  know  him  to  be  a  good  yeoman  ; 
therefore  I  am  ready  to  accompany  thee,  though,  in 
good  sooth,  I  had  intended  to  eat  my  midday  meal  at 
Blythe  or  Doncaster  to-day.  But  it  matters  little  where 
a  broken  man  dines  !  " 

Robin  Hood's  Feast 

The  three  yeomen  conducted  the  knight  along  the 
forest  ways  to  the  trysting  oak  where  Robin  awaited 

317 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

them.  As  they  went  they  observed  that  the  knight 
was  weeping  silently  for  some  great  distress,  but  their 
courtesy  forbade  them  to  make  any  show  of  noticing 
his  grief.  When  the  appointed  spot  was  reached,  Robin 
stepped  forward  and  courteously  greeted  his  guest, 
with  head  uncovered  and  bended  knee,  and  welcomed 
him  gladly  to  the  wild  greenwood.  "Welcome,  Sir 
Knight,  to  our  greenwood  feast !  I  have  waited  three 
hours  for  a  guest,  and  now  Our  Lady  has  sent  you  to 
me  we  can  dine,  after  we  have  heard  Mass."  The 
knight  said  nothing  but,  "  God  save  you,  good  Robin, 
and  all  your  merry  men  "  ;  and  then  very  devoutly  they 
heard  the  three  Masses,  sung  by  Friar  Tuck.  By  this 
time  others  ot  the  outlaw  band  had  appeared,  having 
returned  from  various  errands,  and  a  gay  company  sat 
down  to  a  banquet  as  good  as  any  the  knight  had  ever 
eaten. 

Robin  Converses  with  the  Knight 

There  was  abundance  of  good  things — venison  and 
game  of  all  kinds,  swans  and  river-fowl  and  fish,  with 
bread  and  good  wine.  Every  one  seemed  joyous,  and 
merry  jests  went  round  that  jovial  company,  till  even 
the  careworn  guest  began  to  smile,  and  then  to  laugh 
outright.  At  this  Robin  was  well  pleased,  for  he  saw  that 
his  visitor  was  a  good  man,  and  was  glad  to  have  lifted 
the  burden  of  his  care,  even  if  only  for  a  few  minutes  ; 
so  he  smiled  cheerfully  at  the  knight  and  said  :  "  Be 
merry,  Sir  Knight,  I  pray,  and  eat  heartily  of  our  food, 
for  it  is  with  great  goodwill  that  we  offer  it  to  you." 
"  Thanks,  good  Robin,"  replied  the  knight.  "  I  have 
enjoyed  my  dinner  to-day  greatly  ;  for  three  weeks  I 
have  not  had  so  good  a  meal.  If  I  ever  pass  by  this 
way  again  I  will  do  my  best  to  repay  you  in  kind ;  as  good 
a  dinner  will  I  try  to  provide  as  you  have  given  me." 
318 


THE  KNIGHTS  POVERTY 

Robin  Demands  Payment 

The  outlaw  chief  seemed  to  be  affronted  by  this 
suggestion,  and  replied,  with  a  touch  of  pride  in  his 
manner :  "  Thanks  for  your  proffer,  Sir  Knight,  but, 
by  Heaven  !  no  man  has  ever  yet  deemed  me  a  glutton. 
While  I  eat  one  dinner  I  am  not  accustomed  to  look 
eagerly  for  another— one  is  enough  for  me.  But  as 
for  you,  my  guest,  I  think  it  only  fitting  that  you 
should  pay  before  you  go  ;  a  yeoman  was  never  meant 
to  pay  for  a  knight's  banquet."  The  knight  blushed, 
and  looked  confused  for  a  moment,  and  then  said  : 
"  True,  Robin,  and  gladly  would  I  reward  you  for  my 
entertainment,  but  I  have  no  money  worth  offering  ; 
even  all  I  have  would  not  be  worthy  of  your  acceptance, 
and  I  should  be  shamed  in  your  eyes,  and  those  of  your 
men." 

The  Knight's  Poverty 

"  Is  that  the  truth  ?  "  asked  Robin,  making  a  sign  to 
Little  John,  who  arose,  and,  going  to  the  knight's  steed, 
unstrapped  a  small  coffer,  which  he  brought  back  and 
placed  before  his  master.  "Search  it,  Little  John," 
said  he,  and  "  You,  sir,  tell  me  the  very  truth,  by  your 
honour  as  a  belted  knight."  "It  is  truth,  on  my 
honour,  that  I  have  but  ten  shillings,"  replied  the 
knight,  "and  if  Little  John  searches  he  will  find  no 
more."  "  Open  the  coffer,"  said  Robin,  and  Little  John 
took  it  away  to  the  other  side  of  the  trysting  oak, 
where  he  emptied  its  contents  on  his  outspread  cloak, 
and  found  exactly  ten  shillings.  Returning  to  his 
master,  who  sat  at  his  ease,  drinking  and  gaily  con- 
versing with  his  anxious  guest,  Little  John  whispered  : 
"  The  knight  has  told  the  truth,"  and  thereupon  Robin 
exclaimed  aloud  :  "  Sir  Knight,  I  will  not  take  one 

319 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

penny  from  you  ;  you  may  rather  borrow  of  me  if  you 
have  need  of  more  money,  for  ten  shillings  is  but  a 
miserable  sum  for  a  knight.  But  tell  me  now,  if  it  be 
your  pleasure,  how  you  come  to  be  in  such  distress." 
As  he  looked  inquiringly  at  the  stranger,  whose  blush 
had  faded  once,  only  to  be  renewed  as  he  found  his 
word  of  honour  doubted,  he  noticed  how  thin  and 
threadbare  were  his  clothes  and  how  worn  his  russet 
leather  shoes  ;  and  he  was  grieved  to  see  so  noble- 
seeming  a  man  in  such  a  plight. 

The  Knight's  Story 

Yet  Robin  meant  to  fathom  the  cause  of  the  knight's 
trouble,  for  then,  perhaps,  he  would  be  able  to  help  him, 
so  he  continued  pitilessly  :  "Tell  me  just  one  word, 
which  I  will  keep  secret  from  all  other  men  :  were  you 
driven  by  compulsion  to  take  up  knighthood,  or  urged 
to  beg  it  by  reason  of  the  ownership  of  some  small 
estate  ;  or  have  you  wasted  your  old  inheritance  with 
fines  for  brawling  and  strife,  or  in  gambling  and  riotous- 
ness,  or  in  borrowing  at  usury  ?  All  of  these  are  fatal 
to  a  good  estate." 

The  knight  replied :  "  Alas !  good  Robin,  none  of 
these  hath  been  my  undoing.  My  ancestors  have  all 
been  knights  for  over  a  hundred  years,  and  I  have  not 
lived  wastefully,  but  soberly  and  sparely.  As  short  a 
time  ago  as  last  year  I  had  over  four  hundred  pounds 
saved,  which  I  could  spend  freely  among  my  neighbours, 
and  my  income  was  four  hundred  pounds  a  year  from 
my  land  ;  but  now  my  only  possessions  are  my  wife  and 
children.  This  is  the  work  of  God's  hand,  and  to  Him  I 
commit  me  to  amend  my  estate  in  His  own  good  time." 

How  the  Money  was  Lost 

"  But  how  have  you  so  soon  lost  this  great  wealth  ? " 
3* 


I  have  no  money  worth  offering 


320 


THE  SUM  REQUIRED 

asked  Robin  incredulously  ;  and  the  knight  replied 
sadly  :  "  Ah,  Robin,  you  have  no  son,  or  you  would 
know  that  a  father  will  give  up  all  to  save  his  first-born. 
I  have  one  gallant  son,  and  when  I  went  on  the  Crusade 
with  our  noble  Prince  Edward  I  left  him  at  home  to 

fuard  my  lands,  for  he  was  twenty  years  old,  and  was  a 
rave  and  comely  youth.  When  I  returned,  after  two 
years'  absence,  it  was  to  find  him  in  great  danger,  for  in 
a  public  tournament  he  had  slain  in  open  fight  a  knight 
of  Lancashire  and  a  bold  young  squire.  He  would 
have  died  a  shameful  death  had  I  not  spent  all  my 
ready  money  and  other  property  to  save  him  from 
prison,  for  his  enemies  were  mighty  and  unjust ;  and 
even  that  was  not  enough,  for  I  was  forced  to  mortgage 
my  estates  for  more  money.  All  my  land  lies  in  pledge 
to  the  abbot  of  St.  Mary's  Abbey,  in  York,  and  I  have 
no  hope  to  redeem  it.  I  was  riding  to  York  when 
your  men  found  me." 

The  Sum  Required 

"  For  what  sum  is  your  land  pledged  ?  "  asked  the 
master-outlaw;  and  the  knight  replied;:  "The  Abbot  lent 
me  four  hundred  pounds,  though  the  value  of  the  land 
is  far  beyond  that."  "  What  will  you  do  if  you  fail 
to  redeem  your  land  ?  "  asked  Robin.  "  I  shall  leave 
England  at  once,  and  journey  once  more  to  Jerusalem, 
and  tread  again  the  sacred  Hill  of  Calvary,  and  never 
more  return  to  my  native  land.  That  will  be  my  fate, 
for  I  see  no  likelihood  of  repaying  the  loan,  and  I  will 
not  stay  to  see  strangers  holding  my  father's  land.  Fare- 
well, my  friend  Robin,  farewell  to  you  all !  Keep  the 
ten  shillings  ;  I  would  have  paid  more  if  I  could,  but 
that  is  the  best  I  can  give  you."  "  Have  you  no 
friends  at  home  ? "  asked  Robin  ;  and  the  knight  said  : 
"  Many  friends  I  thought  I  had,  sir.  They  were  very 

3*1 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

kind  and  helpful  in  my  days  of  prosperity,  when  I  did  not 
need  them  ;  now  they  will  not  know  me,  so  much  has 
my  poverty  seemed  to  alter  my  face  and  appearance." 

Robin  Offers  a  Loan 

This  pitiful  story  touched  the  hearts  of  the  simple  and 
kindly  outlaws  ;  they  wept  for  pity,  and  cared  not  to  hide 
their  tears  from  each  other,  until  Robin  made  them  all 
pledge  their  guest  in  bumpers  of  good  red  wine.  Then 
their  chief  asked,  as  if  continuing  his  own  train  of  thought: 
"  Have  you  any  friends  who  will  act  as  sureties  for  the 
repayment  of  the  loan  ?  "  "  None  at  all,"  replied  the 
knight  hopelessly,  "but  God  Himself,  who  suffered 
on  the  Tree  for  us."  This  last  reply  angered  Robin; 
who  thought  it  savoured  too  much  of  companionship 
with  the  fat  and  hypocritical  monks  whom  he  hated, 
and  he  retorted  sharply  :  "  No  such  tricks  for  me  !  Do 
you  think  I  will  take  such  a  surety,  or  even  one  of  the 
saints,  in  return  for  good  solid  gold  ?  Get  some  more 
substantial  surety,  or  no  gold  shall  you  have  from  me. 
I  cannot  afford  to  waste  my  money/ 

The  Knight  Offers  Surety 

The  knight  replied,  sighing  heavily  :  "  If  you  will 
not  take  these  I  have  no  earthly  surety  to  offer  ;  and  in 
Heaven  there  is  only  our  dear  Lady.  I  have  served 
her  truly,  and  she  has  never  failed  me  till  now,  when 
her  servant,  the  abbot,  is  playing  me  so  cruel  a  trick." 
"  Do  you  give  Our  Lady  as  your  surety  ?  "  said  Robin 
Hood.  "  I  would  take  her  bond  for  any  sum,  for 
throughout  all  England  you  could  find  no  better  surety 
than  our  dear  Lady,  who  has  always  been  gracious  to 
me.  She  is  enough  security.  Go,  Little  John,  to  my 
treasury  and  bring  me  four  hundred  pounds,  well 
counted,  with  no  false  or  clipped  coin  therein." 


THE  BOND  OF  REPAYMENT 

Robin  Hood's  Gifts 

Little  John,  accompanied  by  Much,  the  careful 
treasurer  of  the  band,  went  quickly  to  the  secret  place 
where  the  master-outlaw  kept  his  gold.  Very  carefully 
they  counted  out  the  coins,  testing  each,  to  see  that  it 
was  of  full  weight  and  value.  Then,  on  the  suggestion 
of  Little  John,  they  provided  the  knight  with  new 
clothing,  even  to  boots  and  spurs,  and  finally  supplied 
him  with  two  splendid  horses,  one  for  riding  and  one 
to  carry  his  baggage  and  the  coffer  of  gold. 

The  guest  watched  all  these  preparations  with  be- 
wildered eyes,  and  turned  to  Robin,  crying,  "Why 
have  you  done  all  this  for  me,  a  perfect  stranger  ? " 
"  You  are  no  stranger,  but  Our  Lady's  messenger.  She 
sent  you  to  me,  and  Heaven  grant  you  may  prove  true." 

The  Bond  of  Repayment 

"God  grant  it,"  echoed  the  knight.  "But,  Robin, 
when  shall  I  repay  this  loan,  and  where  ?  Set  me  a 
day,  and  I  will  keep  it."  "  Here,"  replied  the  outlaw, 
"  under  this  greenwood  tree,  and  in  a  twelvemonth's 
time  ;  so  will  you  have  time  to  regain  your  friends  and 
gather  your  rents  from  your  redeemed  lands.  Now 
farewell,  Sir  Knight ;  and  since  it  is  not  meet  for  a 
worthy  knight  to  journey  unattended,  I  will  lend  you 
also  my  comrade,  Little  John,  to  be  your  squire,  and 
to  do  you  yeoman  service,  if  need  be."  The  knight 
bade  farewell  to  Robin  and  his  generous  followers,  and 
was  turning  to  ride  away,  when  he  suddenly  stopped 
and  addressed  the  master-outlaw :  "  In  faith,  good 
Robin,  I  had  forgotten  one  thing.  You  know  not  my 
name.  I  am  Sir  Richard  of  the  Lea,  and  my  land  lies 
in  Uterysdale."  "  As  for  that,"  said  Robin  Hood,  "  I 
trouble  not  myself.  You  are  Our  Lady's  messenger ; 
z  323 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

that  is  enough  for  me."  So  Sir  Richard  rode  gladly 
away,  blessing  the  generous  outlaw  who  lent  him  money 
to  redeem  his  land,  and  a  stout  yeoman  to  defend  the 
loan. 

Si*  Richard's  Journey 

As  the  knight  and  his  new  servant  rode  on,  Sir 
Richard  called  to  his  man,  saying,  "  I  must  by  all 
means  be  in  York  to-morrow,  to  pay  the  abbot  of 
St.  Mary's  four  hundred  pounds  ;  if  I  fail  of  my  day 
I  shall  lose  my  land  and  lordship  for  ever";  and  Little 
John  answered  :  "  Fear  not,  master  ;  we  will  surely  be 
there  in  time  enough."  Then  they  rode  on,  and  reached 
York  early  on  the  last  day  of  the  appointed  time. 

The  Abbot  and  Prior  of  St.  Mary's 

In  the  meantime  the  abbot  of  St.  Mary's  was 
counting  that  Sir  Richard's  lands  were  safely  his ;  he 
had  no  pity  for  the  poor  unlucky  knight,  but  rather 
exulted  in  the  legal  cruelty  which  he  could  inflict. 
Very  joyfully  he  called  aloud,  early  that  morn :  "  A 
twelvemonth  ago  to-day  we  lent  four  hundred  pounds 
to  a  needy  knight,  Sir  Richard  of  the  Lea,  and  unless 
he  comes  by  noon  to-day  to  repay  the  money  he  will 
lose  all  his  land  and  be  disinherited,  and  our  abbey  will 
be  the  richer  by  a  fat  estate,  worth  four  hundred  pounds 
a  year.  Our  Lady  grant  that  he  keep  not  his  day." 
**  Shame  on  you  1 "  cried  the  prior.  "  This  poor  knight 
may  be  ill,  or  beyond  the  sea  ;  he  may  be  in  hunger 
and  cold  as  well  as  poverty,  and  it  will  be  a  foul 
wrong  if  you  declare  his  land  forfeit." 

"This  is  the  set  day,"  replied  the  abbot,  "and  he  is 
not  here."  "You  dare  not  escheat  his  estates  yet," 
replied  the  prior  stubbornly.  "  It  is  too  early  in  the 
day ;  until  noon  the  lands  are  still  Sir  Richard's,  and 


Sir  Richard  knelt  in  courteous  salutation  " 


324 


THE  ABBOT  AND  SIR  RICHARD 

no  man  shall  take  them  ere  the  clock  strikes.  Shame 
on  your  conscience  and  your  greed,  to  do  a  good  knight 
such  foul  wrong !  I  would  willingly  pay  a  hundred 
pounds  myself  to  prevent  it." 

"  Beshrew  your  meddlesome  temper  ! "  cried  the 
abbot.  "  You  are  always  crossing  me  !  But  I  have 
with  me  the  Lord  Chief  Justice,  and  he  will  declare  my 
legal  right."  Just  at  that  moment  the  high  cellarer 
of  the  abbey  entered  to  congratulate  the  abbot  on  Sir 
Richard's  absence.  "  He  is  dead  or  ill,  and  we  shall 
have  the  spending  of  four  hundred  pounds  a  year," 
quoth  he. 

Sir  Richard  Returns 

On  his  arrival  Sir  Richard  had  quietly  gone  round  to 
his  old  tenants  in  York,  and  had  a  goodly  company  of 
them  ready  to  ride  with  him,  but  he  was  minded  to  test 
the  charity  and  true  religion  of  the  abbot,  and  bade  his 
followers  assume  pilgrims'  robes.  Thus  attired,  the 
company  rode  to  the  abbey  gate,  where  the  porter  re- 
cognised Sir  Richard,  and  the  news  of  his  coming,  carried 
to  the  abbot  and  justice,  caused  them  great  grief;  but 
the  prior  rejoiced,  hoping  that  a  cruel  injustice  would 
be  prevented.  As  they  dismounted  the  porter  loudly 
called  grooms  to  lead  the  horses  into  the  stable  and 
have  them  relieved  of  their  burdens,  but  Sir  Richard 
would  not  allow  it,  and  left  Little  John  to  watch  over 
them  at  the  abbey  portal. 

The  Abbot  and  Sir  Richard 

Then  Sir  Richard  came  humbly  into  the  hall,  where 
a  great  banquet  was  in  progress,  and  knelt  down  in 
courteous  salutation  to  the  abbot  and  his  guests  ;  but 
the  prelate,  who  had  made  up  his  mind  what  conduct 
to  adopt,  greeted  him  coldly,  and  many  men  did  not 

3*5 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

return  his  salutation  at  all.  Sir  Richard  spoke  aloud  : 
"  Rejoice,  Sir  Abbot,  for  I  am  come  to  keep  my  day." 
"That  is  well,"  replied  the  monk,  "but  hast  thou 
brought  the  money  ?  "  "  No  money  have  I,  not  one 
penny,"  continued  Sir  Richard  sadly.  "  Pledge  me  in 
good  red  wine,  Sir  Justice,"  cried  the  abbot  callously  ; 
"  the  land  is  mine.  And  what  dost  thou  here,  Sir 
Richard,  a  broken  man,  with  no  money  to  pay  thy 
debt  ?  "  "  I  am  come  to  beg  you  to  grant  me  a  longer 
time  for  repayment."  "  Not  one  minute  past  the  ap- 
pointed hour,"  said  the  exultant  prelate.  "  Thou  hast 
broken  pledge,  and  thy  land  is  forfeit." 

Sir  Richard  Implores  the  Justice 

Still  kneeling.  Sir  Richard  turned  to  the  justice  and 
said  :  "Good  Sir  Justice,  be  my  friend  and  plead  for 
me."  "  No,"  he  replied,  "  I  hold  to  the  law,  and  can 
give  thee  no  help."  "  Gentle  abbot,  have  pity  on  me, 
and  let  me  have  my  land  again,  and  I  will  be  the  humble 
servant  of  your  monastery  till  I  have  repaid  in  full  your 
four  hundred  pounds."  Then  the  cruel  prelate  swore 
a  terrible  oath  that  never  should  the  knight  have  his 
land  again,  and  no  one  in  the  hall  would  speak  for 
him,  kneeling  there  poor,  friendless,  and  alone  ;  so  at 
last  he  began  to  threaten  violence.  "Unless  I  have 
my  land  again,"  quoth  he,  "  some  of  you  here  shall 
dearly  abide  it.  Now  may  I  see  the  poor  man  has  no 
friends,  for  none  will  stand  by  me  in  my  need." 

The  Justice  Suggests  a  Compromise 

The  hint  of  violence  made  the  abbot  furiously 
angry,  and,  secure  in  his  position  and  the  support  ot 
the  justice,  he  shouted  loudly :  "Out,  thou  false  knight ! 
Out  of  my  hall !  "  Then  at  last  Sir  Richard  rose  to  his 
feet  in  just  wrath.  "  Thou  liest,  Sir  Abbot ;  foully  thou 
3*6 


SIR  RICHARD  PAYS  THE  MONEY 

liest !  I  was  never  a  false  knight.  In  joust  and 
tourney  I  have  adventured  as  far  and  as  boldly  as  any 
man  alive.  There  is  no  true  courtesy  in  thee,  abbot, 
to  suffer  a  knight  to  kneel  so  long."  The  quarrel  now 
seemed  so  serious  that  the  justice  intervened,  saying  to 
the  angry  prelate,  "  What  will  you  give  me  if  I  persuade 
him  to  sign  a  legal  deed  of  release  ?  Without  it  you 
will  never  hold  this  land  in  peace."  "You  shall  have  a 
hundred  pounds  for  yourself,"  said  the  abbot,  and  the 
justice  nodded  in  token  of  assent. 

Sir  Richard  Pays  the  Money 

Now  Sir  Richard  thought  it  was  time  to  drop  the 
mask,  for  noon  was  nigh,  and  he  would  not  risk  his 
land  again.  Accordingly  he  cried  :  "  Nay,  but  not  so 
easily  shall  ye  have  my  lands.  Even  if  you  were  to  pay 
a  thousand  pounds  more  you  should  not  hold  my 
father's  estate.  Have  here  your  money  back  again  "  ; 
and,  calling  for  Little  John,  he  bade  him  bring  into  the 
hall  his  coffer  with  the  bags  inside.  Then  he  counted 
out  on  the  table  four  hundred  good  golden  pounds, 
and  said  sternly  :  "  Abbot,  here  is  your  money  again. 
Had  you  but  been  courteous  to  me  I  would  have  re- 
warded you  well  ;  now  take  your  money,  give  me 
a  quittance,  and  I  will  take  my  lands  once  more.  Ye 
are  all  witnesses  that  I  have  kept  my  day  and  have  paid 
in  full."  Thereupon  Sir  Richard  strode  haughtily  out 
of  the  hall,  and  rode  home  gladly  to  his  recovered 
lands  in  Uterysdale,  where  he  and  his  family  ever 
prayed  for  Robin  Hood.  The  abbot  of  St.  Mary's 
was  bitterly  enraged,  for  he  had  lost  the  fair  lands 
of  Sir  Richard  of  the  Lea  and  had  received  a  bare 
four  hundred  pounds  again.  As  for  Little  John, 
he  went  back  to  the  forest  and  told  his  master  the 
whole  story,  to  Robin  Hood's  great  satisfaction, 

3*7 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

for  he  enjoyed  the  chance  of  thwarting  the  schemes  of 
a  wealthy  anfl  usurious  prelate. 

Sir  Richard  Sets  Out  to  Repay  the  Loan 

When  a  year  had  passed  all  but  a  few  days,  Sir 
Richard  of  the  Lea  said  to  his  wife  :  "  Lady,  I  must 
shortly  go  to  Barnesdale  to  repay  Robin  Hood  the  loan 
which  saved  my  lands,  and  would  fain  take  him  some  small 
gift  in  addition  ;  what  do  you  advise  ?  "  "  Sir  Richard, 
I  would  take  a  hundred  bows  of  Spanish  yew  and  a 
hundred  sheaves  of  arrows,  peacock-feathered,  or  grey- 
goose-feathered  ;  methinks  that  will  be  to  Robin  a 
most  acceptable  gift." 

Sir  Richard  followed  his  wife's  advice,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  appointed  day  set  out  to  keep  his  tryst 
at  the  outlaws'  oak  in  Barnesdale,  with  the  money  duly 
counted,  and  the  bows  and  arrows  for  his  present  to 
the  outlaw  chief. 

The  Wrestling 

As  he  rode,  however,  at  the  head  of  his  troop  he 
passed  through  a  village  where  there  was  a  wrestling 
contest,  which  he  stayed  to  watch.  He  soon  saw  that 
the  victorious  wrestler,  who  was  a  stranger  to  the 
village,  would  be  defrauded  of  his  well-earned  prize, 
which  consisted  of  a  white  bull,  a  noble  charger  gaily 
caparisoned,  a  gold  ring,  a  pipe  of  wine,  and  a  pair  of 
embroidered  gloves.  This  seemed  so  wrong  to  Sir 
Richard  that  he  stayed  to  defend  the  right,  for  love  of 
Robin  Hood  and  of  justice,  and  kept  the  wrestling  ring 
in  awe  with  his  well-appointed  troop  of  men,  so  that 
the  stranger  was  allowed  to  claim  his  prize  and  carry  it 
off.  Sir  Richard,  anxious  not  to  arouse  the  hostility  of 
the  villagers,  bought  the  pipe  of  wine  from  the  winner, 
and,  setting  it  abroach,  allowed  all  who  would  to  drink  ; 


THE  MONKS  APPROACH 

and  so,  in  a  tumult  of  cheers  and  blessings,  he  rode 
away  to  keep  his  tryst.  By  this  time,  however,  it  was 
nearly  three  in  the  afternoon,  and  he  should  have  been 
there  at  twelve.  He  comforted  himself  with  the  thought 
that  Robin  would  forgive  the  delay,  for  the  sake  of  its 
cause,  and  so  rode  on  comfortably  enough  at  the  head 
of  his  gallant  company. 

Robin's  Impatience 

In  the  meantime  Robin  had  waited  patiently  at  the 
trysting  tree  till  noon,  but  when  the  hour  passed 
and  Sir  Richard  had  not  appeared  he  began  to  grow 
impatient.  "  Master,  let  us  dine,"  said  Little  John. 
"  I  cannot ;  I  fear  Our  Lady  is  angered  with  me, 
for  she  has  not  sent  me  my  money,"  returned  the 
leader  ;  but  his  follower  replied  :  "  The  money  is  not 
due  till  sunset,  master,  and  Our  Lady  is  true,  and  so  is 
Sir  Richard  ;  have  no  fear."  "  Do  you  three  walk  up 
through  the  willow  plantation  to  Watling  Street,  as 
you  did  last  year,  and  bring  me  a  guest,"  said  Robin 
Hood.  "  He  may  be  a  messenger,  a  minstrel,  a  poor 
man,  but  he  will  come  in  God's  name." 

The  Monks  Approach 

Again  the  three  yeomen,  Little  John,  Will  Scarlet, 
and  Much  the  miller's  son,  took  bow  in  hand  and  set 
out  for  Watling  Street ;  but  this  time  they  had  not  long 
to  wait,  for  they  at  once  saw  a  little  procession  approach- 
ing. Two  black  monks  rode  at  the  head ;  then  followed 
seven  sumpter-mules  and  a  train  of  fifty-two  men,  so 
that  the  clerics  rode  in  almost  royal  state.  "Seest 
thou  yon  monks  ?  "  said  Little  John.  "  I  will  pledge 
my  soul  that  they  have  brought  our  pay."  "  But  they 
are  fifty-four,  and  we  are  but  three,"  said  Scarkt. 
"Unless  we  bring  them  to  dinner  we  dare  not  face 

3*9 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
our  master,"  cried  Little  John.     "Look  well  to  your 
bows,  your  strings  and  arrows,  and  have  stout  hearts 
and  steady  hands.     I  will  take  the  foremost  monk,  for 
life  or  death." 

The  Capture  of  the  Black  Monk 

The  three  outlaws  stepped  out  into  the  road  from 
the  shelter  of  the  wood  ;  they  bent  their  bows  and 
held  their  arrows  on  the  string,  and  Little  John  cried 
aloud  :  "  Stay,  churlish  monk,  or  thou  goest  to  thy 
death,  and  it  will  be  on  thine  own  head  !  Evil  on 
thee  for  keeping  our  master  fasting  so  long."  "  Who 
is  your  master  ? "  asked  the  bewildered  monk  ;  and 
Little  John  replied :  "  Robin  Hood."  The  monk  tossed 
his  head.  "  He  is  a  foul  thief,"  cried  he,  "  and  will 
come  to  a  bad  end.  I  have  heard  no  good  of  him  all 
my  days."  So  speaking,  he  tried  to  ride  forward  and 
trample  down  the  three  yeomen  ;  but  Little  John  cried  : 
"  Thou  liest,  churlish  monk,  and  thou  shalt  rue  the  lie. 
He  is  a  good  yeoman  of  this  forest,  and  has  bidden 
thee  to  dine  with  him  this  day"  ;  and  Much,  drawing 
his  bow,  shot  the  monk  to  the  heart,  so  that  he  fell  to 
the  ground  dead.  The  other  black  monk  was  taken, 
but  all  his  followers  fled,  except  a  little  page,  and  a 
groom  who  tended  the  sumpter-mules  ;  and  thus,  with 
Little  John's  help  and  guidance,  the  panic-stricken 
cleric  and  his  train  of  baggage  were  brought  to  Robin 
under  the  trysting  tree, 

The  Outlaws*  Feast 

Robin  Hood  doffed  his  cap  and  greeted  his  guest 
with  all  courtesy,  but  the  monk  would  not  reply,  and 
Little  John's  account  of  their  meeting  made  it  evident 
that  he  was  a  churlish  and  unwilling  guest.  However, 
he  was  obliged  to  celebrate  the  three  usual  Masses,  was 


Much  shot  the  monk  to  the  heart" 


THE  MONK  IS  SEARCHED 

given  water  for  his  ablutions  before  the  banquet,  and 
then  when  the  whole  fellowship  was  assembled  he  was 
set  in  the  place  of  honour  at  the  feast,  and  reverently 
served  by  Robin  himself.  "Be  of  good  cheer,  Sir 
Monk,"  said  Robin.  "  Where  is  your  abbey  when  you 
are  at  home,  and  who  is  your  patron  saint  ?  "  "  I  am 
of  St.  Mary's  Abbey,  in  York,  and,  simple  though  I  be, 
I  am  the  high  cellarer." 

The  High  Cellarer  and  the  Suretyship 

"  For  Our  Lady's  sake,"  said  Robin,  "  we  will  give 
this  monk  the  best  of  cheer.  Drink  to  me,  Sir  Monk  ; 
the  wine  is  good.  But  I  fear  Our  Lady  is  wroth  with 
me,  for  she  has  not  sent  me  my  money."  "  Fear  not, 
master,"  returned  Little  John ;  "  this  monk  is  her 
cellarer,  and  no  doubt  she  has  made  him  her  messen- 
ger and  he  carries  our  money  with  him."  "That  is 
likely,"  replied  Robin.  "  Sir  Monk,  Our  Lady  was 
surety  for  a  little  loan  between  a  good  knight  and  me, 
and  to-day  the  money  was  to  be  repaid.  If  you  have 
brought  it,  pay  it  to  me  now,  and  I  will  thank  you 
heartily."  The  monk  was  quite  amazed,  and  cried 
aloud  :  "  I  have  never  heard  of  such  a  suretyship  "  ; 
and  as  he  spoke  he  looked  so  anxiously  at  his 
sumpter-mules  that  Robin  guessed  there  was  gold  in 
their  pack-saddles. 

The  Monk  is  Searched 

Accordingly  the  leader  feigned  sudden  anger.  "  Sir 
Monk,  how  dare  you  defame  our  dear  Lady  ?  She 
is  always  true  and  faithful,  and  as  you  say  you  are 
her  servant,  no  doubt  she  has  made  you  her  mes- 
senger to  bring  my  money.  Tell  me  truly  how  much 
you  have  in  your  coffers,  and  I  will  thank  you  for 
coming  so  punctually."  The  monk  replied  :  "  Sir,  I 

33i 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
have  only  twenty  marks  in  my  bags  " ;  to  which  Robin 
answered  :  "  If  that  be  all,  and  you  have  told  the  truth, 
I  will  not  touch  one  penny  ;  rather  will  I  lend  you  some 
if  you  need  it ;  but  if  I  find  more,  I  will  leave  none. 
Sir  Monk,  for  a  religious  man  should  have  no  silver  tc 
spend  in  luxury."  Now  the  monk  looked  very  greatly 
alarmed,  but  he  dared  make  no  protest,  as  Little  John 
began  to  search  his  bags  and  coffers. 

Success  of  the  Search 

When  Little  John  opened  the  first  coffer  he  emptied 
its  contents,  as  before,  into  his  cloak,  and  counted  eight 
hundred  pounds,  with  which  he  went  to  Robin  Hood, 
saying,  "  Master,  the  monk  has  told  the  truth  ;  here 
are  twenty  marks  of  his  own,  and  eight  hundred  pounds 
which  Our  Lady  has  sent  you  in  return  for  your  loan." 
When  Robin  heard  that  he  cried  to  the  miserable 
monk  :  "  Did  I  not  say  so,  monk  ?  Is  not  Our  Lady 
the  best  surety  a  man  could  have  ?  Has  she  not  repaid 
me  twice  ?  Go  back  to  your  abbey  and  say  that  if  ever 
St.  Mary's  monks  need  a  friend  they  shall  find  one  in 
Robin  Hood." 

The  Monk  Departs 

"Where  were  you  journeying?"  asked  the  outlaw 
leader.  "To  settle  accounts  with  the  bailiffs  of  our 
manors,"  replied  the  cellarer  ;  but  he  was  in  truth 
journeying  to  London,  to  obtain  powers  from  the  king 
against  Sir  Richard  of  the  Lea.  Robin  thought  for  a 
moment,  and  then  said  :  "  Ah,  then  we  must  search 
your  other  coffer,"  and  in  spite  of  the  cellarer's  in- 
dignant protests  he  was  deprived  of  all  the  money 
that  second  coffer  contained.  Then  he  was  allowed 
to  depart,  vowing  bitterly  that  a  dinner  in  Blythe  or 
Doncaster  would  have  cost  him  much  less  dear. 
33* 


SIR  RICHARD  ARRIVES 

Si*  Richard  Arrives 

Late  that  afternoon  Sir  Richard  of  the  Lea  and  his 
little  company  arrived  at  the  trysting  tree,  and  full 
courteously  the  knight  greeted  his  deliverer  and 
apologised  for  his  delay.  Robin  asked  of  his  welfare, 
and  the  knight  told  of  his  protection  of  the  poor 
wrestler,  for  which  Robin  thanked  him  warmly.  When 
he  would  fain  have  repaid  the  loan  the  generous  out- 
law refused  to  accept  the  money,  though  he  took  with 
hearty  thanks  the  bows  and  arrows.  In  answer  to  the 
knight's  inquiries,  Robin  said  that  he  had  been  paid 
the  money  twice  over  before  he  came  ;  and  he  told, 
to  his  debtor's  great  amusement,  the  story  of  the  high 
cellarer  and  his  eight  hundred  pounds,  and  concluded : 
"Our  Lady  owed  me  no  more  than  four  hundred 
pounds,  and  she  now  gives  you,  by  me,  the  other  four 
hundred.  Take  them,  with  her  blessing,  and  if  ever 
you  need  more  come  to  Robin  Hood." 

So  Sir  Richard  returned  to  Uterysdale,  and  long 
continued  to  use  his  power  to  protect  the  bold  outlaws, 
and  Robin  Hood  dwelt  securely  in  the  greenwood, 
doing  good  to  the  poor  and  worthy,  but  acting  as  a 
thorn  in  the  sides  of  all  oppressors  and  tyrants. 


533 


CHAPTER  XVI :  HEREWARD  THE  WAKE 

Introduction 

IN  dealing  with  hero-legends  and  myths  we  are  some- 
times confronted  with  the  curious  fact  that  a  hero 
whose  name  and  date  can  be  ascertained  with  exac- 
titude has  yet  in  his  story  mythological  elements  which 
seem  to  belong  to  all  the  ages.  This  anomaly  arises 
chiefly  from  the  fact  that  the  imagination  of  a  people  is  a 
myth-making  thing,  and  that  the  more  truly  popular  the 
hero  the  more  likely  he  is  to  become  the  centre  of  a 
whole  cycle  of  myths,  which  are  in  different  ages 
attached  to  the  heroes  of  different  periods.  The  folk- 
lore of  primitive  races  is  a  great  storehouse  whence  a 
people  can  choose  tales  and  heroic  deeds  to  glorify  its 
own  national  hero,  careless  that  the  same  tales  and  deeds 
have  done  duty  for  other  peoples  and  other  heroes. 
Hence  it  happens  that  Hereward  the  Saxon,  a  patriot 
hero  as  real  and  actual  as  Wellington  or  Nelson,  whose 
deeds  were  recorded  in  prose  and  verse  within  forty 
years  of  his  death,  was  even  then  surrounded  by  a  cloud 
of  romance  and  mystery,  which  hid  in  vagueness  his 
family,  his  marriage,  and  even  his  death. 

The  Saxon  Patriot 

Hereward  was,  naturally,  the  darling  hero  of  the 
Saxons,  and  for  the  patriotism  of  his  splendid  defence 
of  Ely  they  forgave  his  final  surrender  to  William  the 
Norman  ;  then  they  attributed  to  him  all  the  virtues 
supposed  to  be  inherent  in  the  free-born,  and  all  the 
glorious  valour  on  which  the  English  prided  them- 
selves ;  and,  lastly,  they  surrounded  his  death  with  a 
halo  of  desperate  fighting,  and  made  his  last  conflict  as 
wonderful  as  that  of  Roland  at  Roncesvalles.  If  Roland 
is  the  ideal  of  Norman  feudal  chivalry,  Hereward  is 
334 


Her  pleading  won  relief  for  them" 


LEOFR1C  OF  MERCIA 

equally  the  ideal  of  Anglo-Saxon  sturdy  manliness  and 
knighthood,  and  it  seems  fitting  that  the  Saxon  ideal  in 
the  individual  should  go  down  before  the  representa- 
tives, however  unworthy,  of  a  higher  ideal. 

Leofric  of  Mercia 

When  the  weak  but  saintly  King  Edward  the 
Confessor  nominally  ruled  all  England  the  land  was 
divided  into  four  great  earldoms,  of  which  Mercia  and 
Kent  were  held  by  two  powerful  rivals.  Leofric  of 
Mercia  and  Godwin  of  Kent  were  jealous  not  only  for 
themselves,  but  for  their  families,  of  each  other's  power 
and  wealth,  and  the  sons  of  Leofric  and  of  Godwin  were 
ever  at  strife,  though  the  two  earls  were  now  old  and 
prudent  men,  whose  wars  were  fought  with  words  and 
craft,  not  with  swords.  The  wives  of  the  two  great 
earls  were  as  different  as  their  lords.  The  Lady  Gytha, 
Godwin's  wife,  of  the  royal  Danish  race,  was  fierce  and 
haughty,  a  fit  helpmeet  for  the  ambitious  earl  who 
was  to  undermine  the  strength  of  England  by  his 
efforts  to  win  kingly  power  for  his  children.  But  the 
Lady  Godiva,  Leofric's  beloved  wife,  was  a  gentle, 
pious,  loving  woman,  who  had  already  won  an  almost 
saintly  reputation  for  sympathy  and  pity  by  her  sacrifice 
to  save  her  husband's  oppressed  citizens  at  Coventry, 
where  her  pleading  won  relief  for  them  from  the  harsh 
earl  on  the  pitiless  condition  of  her  never-forgotten 
ride.  Happily  her  gentle  self-suppression  awoke  a 
nobler  spirit  in  her  husband,  and  enabled  him  to 
play  a  worthier  part  in  England's  history.  She  was 
in  entire  sympathy  with  the  religious  aspirations  of 
Edward  the  Confessor,  and  would  gladly  have  seen 
one  of  her  sons  become  a  monk,  perhaps  to  win 
spiritual  power  and  a  saintly  reputation  like  those  of 
the  great  Dunstan. 

335 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

Hereward's  Youth 

For  this  holy  vocation  she  fixed  on  her  second  son, 
Hereward,  a  wild,  wayward  lad,  with  long  golden  curls, 
eyes  of  different  colours,  one  grey,  one  blue,  great 
breadth  and  strength  of  limb,  and  a  wild  and  ungovern- 
able temper  which  made  him  difficult  of  control.  This 
reckless  lad  the  Lady  Godiva  vainly  tried  to  educate 
for  the  monkish  life,  but  he  utterly  refused  to  adopt 
her  scheme,  would  not  master  any  but  the  barest 
rudiments  of  learning,  and  spent  his  time  in  wrestling, 
boxing,  fighting  and  all  manly  exercises.  Despairing 
of  making  him  an  ecclesiastic,  his  mother  set  herself  to 
inspire  him  with  a  noble  ideal  of  knighthood,  but  his 
wildness  and  recklessness  increased  with  his  years,  and 
often  his  mother  had  to  stand  between  the  riotous  lad 
and  his  father's  deserved  anger. 

His  Strength  and  Leadership 

When  he  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  he 
became  the  terror  of  the  Fen  Country,  for  at  his  father's 
Hall  of  Bourne  he  gathered  a  band  of  youths  as  wild 
and  reckless  as  himself,  who  accepted  him  for  their 
leader,  and  obeyed  him  implicitly,  however  outrageous 
were  his  commands.  The  wise  Earl  Leofric,  who  was 
much  at  court  with  the  saintly  king,  understood  little 
of  the  nature  of  his  second  son,  and  looked  upon  his 
wild  deeds  as  evidence  of  a  cruel  and  lawless  mind,  a 
menace  to  the  peace  of  England,  while  they  were  in 
reality  but  the  tokens  of  a  restless  energy  for  which 
the  comparatively  peaceable  life  of  England  at  that 
time  was  all  too  dull  and  tame. 

Leofric  and  Hereward 

Frequent  were  the  disputes  between  father  and  son, 
336 


HEREWARD  AT  COURT 

and  sadly  did  Lady  Godiva  forebode  an  evil  ending  to 
the  clash  of  warring  natures  whenever  Hereward  and 
his  father  met ;  yet  she  could  do  nothing  to  avert 
disaster,  for  though  her  entreaties  would  soften  the  lad 
into  penitence  for  some  mad  prank  or  reckless  outrage, 
one  hint  of  cold  blame  from  his  father  would  suffice  to 
make  him  hardened  and  impenitent ;  and  so  things 
drifted  from  bad  to  worse.  In  all  Hereward's  lawless 
deeds,  however,  there  was  no  meanness  or  crafty  malice. 
He  hated  monks  and  played  many  a  rough  trick  upon 
them,  but  took  his  punishment,  when  it  came,  with 
equable  cheerfulness  ;  he  robbed  merchants  with  a  high 
hand,  but  made  reparation  liberally,  counting  himself 
well  satisfied  with  the  fun  of  a  fight  or  the  skill  of  a 
clever  trick  ;  his  band  of  youths  met  and  fought  other 
bands,  but  they  bore  no  malice  when  the  strife  was 
over.  In  one  point  only  was  Hereward  less  than  true 
to  his  own  nobility  or  character — he  was  jealous  of 
admitting  that  any  man  was  his  superior  in  strength 
or  comeliness,  and  his  vanity  was  well  supported  by  his 
extraordinary  might  and  beauty. 

Hereward  at  Court 

The  deeds  which  brought  Earl  Leofric's  wrath  upon 
his  son  in  a  terrible  fashion  were  not  matters  of  wanton 
wickedness,  but  of  lawless  personal  violence.  Called  to 
attend  his  father  to  the  Confessor's  court,  the  youth, 
who  had  little  respect  for  one  so  unwarlike  as  "the 
miracle-monger,"  uttered  his  contempt  for  saintly  king, 
Norman  prelate,  and  studious  monks  too  loudly,  and 
thereby  shocked  the  weakly  devout  Edward,  who 
thought  piety  the  whole  duty  of  man.  But  his  wildness 
touched  the  king  more  nearly  still  ;  for  in  his  sturdy 
patriotism  he  hated  the  Norman  favourites  and  courtiers 
who  surrounded  the  Confessor,  and  again  and  again  his 

337 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

marvellous  strength  was  shown  in  the  personal  injuries 
he  inflicted  on  the  Normans  in  mere  boyish  brawls, 
until  at  last  his  father  could  endure  the  disgrace  no 
longer. 

Hereward's  Exile 

Begging  an  audience  of  the  king,  Leofric  formally 
asked  for  a  writ  of  outlawry  against  his  own  son.  The 
Confessor,  surprised,  but  not  displeased,  felt  some  com- 
punction as  he  saw  the  father's  affection  overborne  by 
the  judge's  severity.  Earl  Godwin,  Leofric's  greatest 
rival,  was  present  in  the  council,  and  his  pleading  for 
the  noble  lad,  whose  faults  were  only  those  of  youth,  was 
sufficient  to  make  Leofric  more  urgent  in  his  petition. 
The  curse  of  family  feud,  which  afterwards  laid  England 
prostrate  at  the  foot  of  the  Conqueror,  was  already  felt, 
and  felt  so  strongly  that  Hereward  resented  Godwin's 
intercession  more  than  his  father's  sternness. 

Hereward's  Farewell 

"  What !"  he  cried, "  shall  a  son  of  Leofric,  the  noblest 
man  in  England,  accept  intercession  from  Godwin  or 
any  of  his  family  ?  No.  I  may  be  unworthy  of  my 
wise  father  and  my  saintly  mother,  but  I  am  not  yet  sunk 
so  low  as  to  ask  a  favour  from  a  Godwin.  Father,  I 
thank  you.  For  years  I  have  fretted  against  the  peace 
of  the  land,  and  thus  have  incurred  your  displeasure  ; 
but  in  exile  I  may  range  abroad  and  win  my  fortune  at 
the  sword's  point."  "  Win  thy  fortune,  foolish  boy  !  " 
said  his  father.  "And  whither  wilt  thou  fare?"  "Where- 
ever  fate  and  my  fortune  lead  me,"  he  replied  recklessly. 
"  Perhaps  to  join  Harald  Hardrada  at  Constantinople 
and  become  one  of  the  Emperor's  Varangian  Guard  , 
perhaps  to  follow  old  Beowa  out  into  the  West,  at  the 
end  of  some  day  of  glorious  battle  ;  perhaps  to  fight 
338 


HEREWARD  IN  NORTHUMBRIA 

giants  and  dragons  and  all  kinds  of  monsters.  All 
these  things  I  may  do,  but  never  shall  Mercia  see  me 
again  till  England  calls  me  home.  Farewell,  father  ; 
farewell,  Earl  Godwin  ;  farewell,  reverend  king.  I  go. 
And  pray  ye  that  ye  may  never  need  my  arm,  for  it 
may  hap  that  ye  will  call  me  and  1  will  not  come." 
Then  Hereward  rode  away,  followed  into  exile  by  one 
man  only,  Martin  Lightfoot,  who  left  the  father's 
service  for  that  of  his  outlawed  son.  It  was  when 
attending  the  king's  court  on  this  occasion  that  Here- 
ward  first  saw  and  felt  the  charm  of  a  lovely  little 
Saxon  maiden  named  Alftruda,  a  ward  of  the  pious 
king. 

Hereward  in  Northumbria 

Though  the  king's  writ  of  outlawry  might  run  in 
Mercia,  it  did  not  carry  more  than  nominal  weight  in 
Northumbria,  where  Earl  Siward  ruled  almost  as  an 
independent  lord.  Thither  Hereward  determined  to 
go,  for  there  dwelt  his  own  godfather,  Gilbert  of  Ghent, 
and  his  castle  was  known  as  a  good  training  school  for 
young  aspirants  for  knighthood.  Sailing  from  Dover, 
Hereward  landed  at  Whitby,  and  made  his  way  to 
Gilbert's  castle,  where  he  was  well  received,  since  the 
cunning  Fleming  knew  that  an  outlawry  could  be 
reversed  at  any  time,  and  Leofric's  son  might  yet  come 
to  rule  England.  Accordingly  Hereward  was  enrolled 
in  the  number  of  young  men,  mainly  Normans  or 
Flemings,  who  were  seeking  to  perfect  themselves  in 
chivalry  before  taking  knighthood.  He  soon  showed 
himself  a  brave  warrior,  an  unequalled  wrestler,  and  a 
wary  fighter,  and  soon  no  one  cared  to  meddle  with  the 
young  Mercian,  who  outdid  them  all  in  manly  sports. 
The  envy  of  the  young  Normans  was  held  in  check  by 
Gilbert,  and  by  a  wholesome  dread  of  Hereward' s 
a  A  339 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
strong    arm  ;  until,  in   Gilbert's  absence,  an   incident 
occurred  which  placed  the  young  exile  on  a  pinnacle  so 
far  above  them  that  only  by  his  death  could  they  hope 
to  rid  themselves  of  their  feeling  of  inferiority. 

The  Fairy  Beat- 
Gilbert  kept  in  his  castle  court  an  immense  white 
Polar  bear,  dreaded  by  all  for  its  enormous  strength, 
and  called  the  Fairy  Bear.  It  was  even  believed  that 
the  huge  beast  had  some  kinship  to  old  Earl  Siward, 
who  bore  a  bear  upon  his  crest,  and  was  reputed  to 
have  had  something  of  bear-like  ferocity  in  his  youth. 
This  white  bear  was  so  much  dreaded  that  he  was  kept 
chained  up  in  a  strong  cage.  One  morning  as  Hereward 
was  returning  with  Martin  from  his  morning  ride  he 
heard  shouts  and  shrieks  from  the  castle  yard,  and, 
reaching  the  great  gate,  entered  lightly  and  closed  it 
behind  him  rapidly,  for  there  outside  the  shattered  cage, 
with  broken  chain  dangling,  stood  the  Fairy  Bear, 
glaring  savagely  round  the  courtyard.  But  one  human 
figure  was  in  sight,  that  of  a  girl  of  about  twelve  years 
of  age. 

Hereward  Slays  the  Bear 

There  were  sounds  of  men's  voices  and  women's 
shrieks  from  within  the  castle,  but  the  doors  were 
fast  barred,  while  the  maid,  in  her  terror,  beat  on 
the  portal  with  her  palms,  and  begged  them,  for  the 
love  of  God,  to  let  her  in.  The  cowards  refused, 
and  in  the  meantime  the  great  bear,  irritated  by  the 
dangling  chain,  made  a  rush  towards  the  child. 
Hereward  clashed  forward,  shouting  to  distract  the 
bear,  and  just  managed  to  stop  his  charge  at  the  girl. 
The  savage  animal  turned  on  the  new-comer,  who 
needed  all  his  agility  to  escape  the  monster's  terrible 
340 


Alftruda 


340 


HERE-WARD'S  TRICK  ON  THE  KNIGHTS 

onset.  Seizing  his  battle-axe,  the  youth  swung  it 
around  his  head  and  split  the  skull  of  the  furious 
beast,  which  fell  dead.  It  was  a  blow  so  mighty  that 
even  Hereward  himself  was  surprised  at  its  deadly  effect, 
and  approached  cautiously  to  examine  his  victim.  In 
the  meantime  the  little  girl,  who  proved  to  be  no  other 
than  the  king's  ward,  Alftruda,  had  watched  with 
fascinated  eyes  first  the  approach  of  the  monster,  and 
then,  as  she  crouched  in  terror,  its  sudden  slaughter  ; 
and  now  she  summoned  up  courage  to  run  to  Hereward, 
who  had  always  been  kind  to  the  pretty  child,  and  to 
fling  herself  into  his  arms.  "  Kind  Hereward,"  she 
whispered,  "you  have  saved  me  and  killed  the  bear. 
I  love  you  for  it,  and  I  must  give  you  a  kiss,  for  my 
dame  says  so  do  all  ladies  that  choose  good  knights  to 
be  their  champions.  Will  you  be  mine  ? "  As  she 
spoke  she  kissed  Hereward  again  and  again. 

Hcreward's  Trick  on  tne  Knights 

"Where  have  they  all  gone,  little  one  ?"  asked  the 
young  noble  ;  and  Alftruda  replied  :  "  We  were  all  out 
here  in  the  courtyard  watching  the  young  men  at  their 
exercises,  when  we  heard  a  crash  and  a  roar,  and  the 
cage  burst  open,  and  we  saw  the  dreadful  Fairy  Bear. 
They  all  ran,  the  ladies  and  knights,  but  I  was  the  last, 
and  they  were  so  frightened  that  they  shut  themselves 
in  and  left  me  outside  ;  and  when  I  beat  at  the  door 
and  prayed  them  to  let  me  in  they  would  not,  and  I 
thought  the  bear  would  eat  me,  till  you  came." 

"  The  cowards  !  "  cried  Hereward.  "  And  they  think 
themselves  worthy  of  knighthood  when  they  will  save 
their  own  lives  and  leave  a  child  in  danger  1  They 
must  be  taught  a  lesson.  Martin,  come  hither  and  aid 
me."  When  Martin  came,  the  two,  with  infinite  trouble, 
raised  the  carcase  of  the  monstrous  beast,  and  placed 

341 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

it  just  where  the  bower  door,  opening,  would  show  it 
at  once.  Then  Hereward  bade  Alftruda  call  to  the 
knights  in  the  bower  that  all  was  safe  and  they  could 
come  out,  for  the  bear  would  not  hurt  them.  He  and 
Martin,  listening,  heard  with  great  glee  the  bitter 
debate  within  the  bower  as  to  who  should  risk  his  life  to 
open  the  door,  the  many  excuses  given  for  refusal,  the 
mischievous  fun  in  Alftruda' s  voice  as  she  begged  some 
one  to  open  to  her,  and,  best  of  all,  the  cry  of  horror 
with  which  the  knight  who  had  ventured  to  draw  the  bolt 
shut  the  door  again  on  seeing  the  Fairy  Bear  waiting  to 
enter.  Hereward  even  carried  his  trick  so  far  as  to 
thrust  the  bear  heavily  against  the  bower  door,  making 
all  the  people  within  shriek  and  implore  the  protection 
of  the  saints.  Finally,  when  he  was  tired  of  the  jest,  he 
convinced  the  valiant  knights  that  they  might  emerge 
safely  from  their  retirement,  and  showed  how  he,  a 
stripling  of  seventeen,  had  slain  the  monster  at  one  blow. 
From  that  time  Hereward  was  the  darling  of  the  whole 
castle,  petted,  praised,  beloved  by  all  its  inmates,  except 
his  jealous  rivals. 

Hereward  Leaves  Northumbria 

The  foreign  knights  grew  so  jealous  of  the  Saxon 
youth,  and  so  restive  under  his  shafts  of  sarcastic  ridicule, 
that  they  planned  several  times  to  kill  him,  and  once  or 
twice  nearly  succeeded.  This  insecurity,  and  a  feeling 
that  perhaps  Earl  Siward  had  some  kinship  with  the 
Fairy  Bear,  and  would  wish  to  avenge  his  death,  made 
Hereward  decide  to  quit  Gilbert's  castle.  The  spirit  of 
adventure  was  strong  upon  him,  the  sea  seemed  to  call 
him  ;  now  that  he  had  been  acknowledged  superior  to 
the  other  noble  youths  in  Gilbert's  household,  the 
castle  no  longer  afforded  a  field  for  his  ambition. 
Accordingly  he  took  a  sad  leave  of  Alftruda,  an 
34* 


HEREWARD  RELEASED  FROM  PRISON 

affectionate  one  of  Sir  Gilbert,  who  wished  to  knight 
him  for  his  brave  deed,  and  a  mocking  one  of  his 
angry  and  unsuccessful  foes. 

Hereward  in  Cornwall 

Entering  into  a  merchant-ship,  he  sailed  for  Corn- 
wall, and  there  was  taken  to  the  court  of  King  Alef, 
a  petty  British  chief,  who,  on  true  patriarchal  lines, 
disposed  of  his  children  as  he  would,  and  had  betrothed 
his  fair  daughter  to  a  terrible  Pictish  giant,  breaking 
off,  in  order  to  do  it,  her  troth-plight  with  Prince 
Sigtryg  of  Waterford,  son  of  a  Danish  king  in  Ireland. 
Hereward  was  ever  chivalrous,  and  little  Alftruda  had 
made  him  feel  pitiful  to  all  maidens.  Seeing  speedily 
how  the  princess  loathed  her  new  betrothed,  a  hideous, 
misshapen  wretch,  nearly  eight  feet  high,  he  determined 
to  slay  him.  With  great  deliberation  he  picked  a 
quarrel  with  the  giant,  and  killed  him  the  next  day  in 
fair  fight ;  but  King  Alef  was  driven  by  the  threats  of  the 
vengeful  Pictish  tribe  to  throw  Hereward  and  his  man 
Martin  into  prison,  promising  trial  and  punishment  on 
the  morrow. 

Hereward  Released  from  Prison 

To  the  young  Saxon's  surprise,  the  released  princess 
appeared  to  be  as  grieved  and  as  revengeful  as  any 
follower  of  the  Pictish  giant,  and^she  not  only  advocated 
prison  and  death  the  next  day,  but  herself  superintended 
the  tying  of  the  thongs  that  bound  the  two  strangers. 
When  they  were  left  to  their  lonely  confinement  Here- 
ward began  to  blame  the  princess  for  hypocrisy,  and  to 
protest  the  impossibility  of  a  man's  ever  knowing  what  a 
woman  wants.  "  Who  would  have  thought,"  he  cried, 
"that -that  beautiful  maiden  loved  a  giant  so  Hideous  as 
this  Pict  ?  Had  I  known,  I  would  never  have  fought 

343 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

him,  but  her  eyes  said  to  me,  '  Kill  him,'  and  I  have 
done  so  ;  this  is  how  she  rewards  me  !  "  "  No,"  replied 
Martin,  "  this  is  how  "  ;  and  he  cut  Hereward's  bonds, 
laughing  silently  to  himself.  "Master,  you  were  so 
indignant  with  the  lady  that  you  could  not  make 
allowances  for  her.  I  knew  that  she  must  pretend  to 
grieve,  for  her  father's  sake,  and  when  she  came  to  test 
our  bonds  I  was  sure  of  it,  for  as  she  fingered  a  knot 
she  slipped  a  knife  into  my  hands,  and  bade  me  use  it. 
Now  we  are  free  from  our  bonds,  and  must  try  to  escape 
from  our  prison." 

The  Princess  Visits  the  Captives 

In  vain,  however,  the  master  and  man  ranged  round 
the  room  in  which  they  were  confined  ;  it  was  a  tiny 
chapel,  with  walls  and  doors  of  great  thickness,  and 
violently  as  Hereward  exerted  himself,  he  could  make 
no  impression  on  either  walls  or  door,  and,  sitting 
sullenly  down  on  the  altar  steps,  he  asked  Martin  what 
good  was  freedom  from  bonds  in  a  secure  prison. 
"  Much,  every  way,"  replied  the  servant ;  "  at  least  we 
die  with  free  hands  ;  and  I,  for  my  part,  am  content  to 
trust  that  the  princess  has  some  good  plan,  if  we  will 
only  be  ready."  While  he  was  speaking  they  heard 
footsteps  just  outside  the  door,  and  the  sound  of  a  key 
being  inserted  into  the  lock.  Hereward  beckoned 
silently  to  Martin,  and  the  two  stood  ready,  one  at 
each  side  of  the  door,  to  make  a  dash  for  freedom,  and 
Martin  was  prepared  to  slay  any  who  should  hinder. 
To  their  great  surprise,  the  princess  entered,  accom- 
panied by  an  old  priest  bearing  a  lantern,  which  he  set 
down  on  the  altar  step,  and  then  the  princess  turned 
to  Hereward,  crying,  "  Pardon  me,  my  deliverer  ! " 
The  Saxon  was  still  aggrieved  and  bewildered,  and 
replied  :  "  Do  you  now  say  '  deliverer '  ?  This  after- 
344 


Hereward  and  the  Princess 


344 


HEREWARD  BINDS  THE  PRINCESS 
noon  it  was  'murderer,  villain,  cut-throat.'  How 
shall  I  know  which  is  your  real  mind  ? "  The  princess 
almost  laughed  as  she  said  :  "  How  stupid  men  are  ! 
What  could  I  do  but  pretend  to  hate  you,  since  other- 
wise the  Picts  would  have  slain  you  then  and  us  all 
afterwards,  but  I  claimed  you  as  my  victims,  and  you 
have  been  given  to  me.  How  else  could  I  have  come 
here  to-night  ?  Now  tell  me,  if  I  set  you  free  will 
you  swear  to  carry  a  message  for  me  ?  " 

Sigtryg  Ranaldsson  of  Waterford 

"Whither  shall  I  go,  lady,  and  what  shall  I  say  ? "  asked 
Hereward.  "  Take  this  ring,  my  ring  of  betrothal,  and 
go  to  Prince  Sigtryg,  son  of  King  Ranald  of  Waterford. 
Say  to  him  that  I  am  beset  on  every  side,  and  beg  him 
to  come  and  claim  me  as  his  bride  ;  otherwise  I  fear  I 
may  be  forced  to  marry  some  man  of  my  father's 
choosing,  as  I  was  being  driven  to  wed  the  Pictish 
giant.  From  him  you  have  rescued  me,  and  I  thank 
you  ;  but  if  my  betrothed  delays  his  coming  it  may 
be  too  late,  for  there  are  other  hateful  suitors  who  would 
make  my  father  bestow  my  hand  upon  one  of  them. 
Beg  him  to  come  with  all  speed."  "  Lady,  I  will  go  now," 
said  Hereward, "  if  you  will  set  me  free  from  this  vault." 

Hereward  Binds  the  Princess 

"  Go  quickly,  and  safely,"  said  the  princess  ;  "  but 
ere  you  go  you  have  one  duty  to  fulfil :  you  must  bind 
me  hand  and  foot,  and  fling  me,  with  this  old  priest,  OP 
the  ground."  "  Never,"  said  Hereward,  "  will  I  bind 
a  woman  ;  it  were  foul  disgrace  to  me  for  ever."  But 
Martin  only  laughed,  and  the  maiden  said  again : 
"  How  stupid  men  are  !  I  must  pretend  to  have  been 
overpowered  by  you,  or  I  shall  be  accused  of  having 
freed  you,  but  I  will  say  that  I  came  hither  to  question 

345 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 
you,  and  you  and  your  man  set  on  me  and  the  priest, 
bound  us,  took  the  key,  and  so  escaped.     So  shall  you 
be  free,  and  1  shall  have  no  blame,  and  my  father  no 
danger  ;  and  may  Heaven  forgive  the  lie." 

Hereward  reluctantly  agreed,  and,  with  Martin's  help, 
bound  the  two  hand  and  foot  and  laid  them  before  the 
altar  ;  then,  kissing  the  maiden's  hand,  and  swearing 
loyalty  and  truth,  he  turned  to  depart.  But  the  princess 
had  one  question  to  ask.  "  Who  are  you,  noble  stranger, 
so  gallant  and  strong  ?  I  would  fain  know  for  whom 
to  pray."  "  I  am  Hereward  Leofricsson,  and  my  father 
is  the  Earl  of  Mercia."  "  Are  you  that  Hereward  who 
slew  the  Fairy  Bear  ?  Little  wonder  is  it  that  you  have 
slain  my  monster  and  set  me  free."  Then  master  and 
man  left  the  chapel,  after  carefully  turning  the  key  in  the 
lock.  Making  their  way  to  the  shore,  they  succeeded 
in  getting  a  ship  to  carry  them  to  Ireland,  and  in  course 
of  time  reached  Waterford. 

Prince  Sigtryg 

The  Danish  kingdom  of  Waterford  was  ruled  by 
King  Ranald,  whose  only  son,  Sigtryg,  was  about  Here- 
ward's  age,  and  was  as  noble-looking  a  youth  as  the 
Saxon  hero.  The  king  was  at  a  feast,  and  Hereward, 
entering  the  hall  with  the  captain  of  the  vessel,  sat 
down  at  one  of  the  lower  tables  ;  but  he  was  not  one  of 
those  who  can  pass  unnoticed.  The  prince  saw  him, 
distinguished  at  once  his  noble  bearing,  and  asked  him 
to  come  to  the  king's  own  table.  He  gladly  obeyed, 
and  as  he  drank  to  the  prince  and  their  goblets  touched 
together  he  contrived  to  drop  the  ring  from  the 
Cornish  princess  into  Sigtryg's  cup.  The  prince  saw 
and  recognised  it  as  he  drained  his  cup,  and,  watching 
his  opportunity,  left  the  hall,  and  was  soon  followed  by 
his  guest. 
346 


RETURN  TO  CORNWALL 

Hereward  and  Sigtryg 

Outside  in  the  darkness  Sigtryg  turned  hurriedly  to 
Hereward,  saying,  "  You  bring  me  a  message  from  my 
betrothed  ?  "  "  Yes,  if  you  are  that  Prince  Sigtryg  to 
whom  the  Princess  of  Cornwall  was  affianced."  "  Was 
affianced  !  What  do  you  mean  ?  She  is  still  my  lady 
and  my  love."  "Yet  you  leave  her  there  unaided, 
while  her  father  gives  her  in  marriage  to  a  hideous 
giant  of  a  Pict,  breaking  her  betrothal,  and  driving 
the  hapless  maiden  to  despair.  What  kind  of  love  is 
yours  ? "  Hereward  said  nothing  yet  about  his  own 
slaying  of  the  giant,  because  he  wished  to  test  Prince 
Sigtryg's  sincerity,  and  he  was  satisfied,  for  the  prince 
burst  out :  "  Would  to  God  that  I  had  gone  to  her 
before  !  but  my  father  needed  my  help  against  foreign 
invaders  and  native  rebels.  I  will  go  immediately  and 
save  my  lady  or  die  with  her  !  "  "  No  need  of  that, 
for  I  killed  that  giant,"  said  Hereward  coolly,  and 
Sigtryg  embraced  him  in  joy  and  they  swore  blood- 
brotherhood  together.  Then  he  asked :  "  What 
message  do  you  bring  me,  and  what  means  her 
ring  ? "  The  other  replied  by  repeating  the  Cornish 
maiden's  words,  and  urging  him  to  start  at  once  if 
he  would  save  his  betrothed  from  some  other  hateful 
marriage. 

Return  to  Cornwall 

The  prince  went  at  once  to  his  father,  told  him  the 
whole  story,  and  obtained  a  ship  and  men  to  journey  to 
Cornwall  and  rescue  the  princess  ;  then,  with  Hereward 
by  his  side,  he  set  sail,  and  soon  landed  in  Cornwall, 
hoping  to  obtain  his  bride  peaceably.  To  his  grief  he 
learnt  that  the  princess  had  just  been  betrothed  to  a 
wild  Cornish  leader,  Haco,  and  the  wedding  feast  was 

347 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

to  be  held  that  very  day.  Sigtryg  was  greatly  enraged, 
and  sent  a  troop  of  forty  Danes  to  King  Alef  demand- 
ing the  fulfilment  of  the  troth-plight  between  himsell 
and  his  daughter,  and  threatening  vengeance  if  it  were 
broken.  To  this  threat  the  king  returned  no  answer, 
and  no  Dane  came  back  to  tell  of  their  reception. 

Hereward  in  the  Enemy's  Hall 

Sigtryg  would  have  waited  till  morning,  trusting  in 
the  honour  of  the  king,  but  Hereward  disguised  him- 
self as  a  minstrel  and  obtained  admission  to  the  bridal 
feast,  where  he  soon  won  applause  by  his  beautiful 
singing.  The  bridegroom,  Haco,  in  a  rapture  offered 
him  any  boon  he  liked  to  ask,  but  he  demanded  only  a 
cup  of  wine  from  the  hands  of  the  bride.  When  she 
brought  it  to  him  he  flung  into  the  empty  cup  the 
betrothal  ring,  the  token  she  had  sent  to  Sigtryg,  and 
said  :  "  I  thank  thee,  lady,  and  would  reward  thee  for 
thy  gentleness  to  a  wandering  minstrel ;  I  give  back 
the  cup,  richer  than  before  by  the  kind  thoughts  of 
which  it  bears  the  token."  The  princess  looked  at 
him,  gazed  into  the  goblet,  and  saw  her  ring  ;  then, 
looking  again,  she  recognised  her  deliverer  and  knew 
that  rescue  was  at  hand. 

Haco's  Plan 

While  men  feasted  Hereward  listened  and  talked, 
and  found  out  that  the  forty  Danes  were  prisoners,  to 
be  released  on  the  morrow  when  Haco  was  sure  of  his 
bride,  but  released  useless  and  miserable,  since  they 
would  be  turned  adrift  blinded.  Haco  was  taking  his 
lovely  bride  back  to  his  own  land,  and  Hereward  saw 
that  any  rescue,  to  be  successful,  must  be  attempted 
on  the  march.  Yet  he  knew  not  the  way  the  bridal 
company  would  go,  and  he  lay  down  to  sleep  in  the 
348 


Hereward  and  Sigtryg 


348 


RESCUE  FOR  HACO'S  BRIDE 

hall,  hoping  that  he  might  hear  something  more. 
When  all  men  slept  a  dark  shape  came  gliding 
through  the  hall  and  touched  Hereward  on  the 
shoulder ;  he  slept  lightly,  and  awoke  at  once  to 
recognise  the  old  nurse  or  the  princess.  "  Come  to 
her  now,"  the  old  woman  whispered,  and  Hereward 
went,  though  he  knew  not  that  the  princess  was  still 
true  to  her  lover.  In  her  bower,  which  she  was 
soon  to  leave,  Haco's  sorrowful  bride  awaited  the 
messenger. 

Rescue  for  Haco's  Bride 

Sadly  she  smiled  on  the  young  Saxon  as  she  said  : 
"  I  knew  your  face  again  in  spite  of  the  disguise,  but 
you  come  too  late.  Bear  my  farewell  to  Sigtryg,  and 
say  that  my  father's  will,  not  mine,  makes  me  false  to 
my  troth-plight."  "  Have  you  not  been  told,  lady, 
that  he  is  here?"  asked  Hereward.  "Here?"  the 
princess  cried.  "  I  have  not  heard.  He  loves  me  still 
and  has  not  forsaken  me  ? "  "  No,  lady,  he  is  too  true 
a  lover  for  falsehood.  He  sent  forty  Danes  yesterday  to 
demand  you  of  your  father  and  threaten  his  wrath  if  he 
refused."  "  And  I  knew  not  of  it,"  said  the  princess 
softly  ;  "  yet  I  had  heard  that  Haco  had  taken  some 
prisoners,  whom  he  means  to  blind."  "Those  are  our 
messengers,  and  your  future  subjects,"  said  Hereward. 
"  Help  me  to  save  them  and  you.  Do  you  know 
Haco's  plans  ? "  "  Only  this,  that  he  will  march 
to-morrow  along  the  river,  and  where  the  ravine  is 
darkest  and  forms  the  boundary  between  his  kingdom 
and  my  father's  the  prisoners  are  to  be  blinded  and 
released."  "  Is  it  far  hence  ?  "  "  Three  miles  to  the 
eastward  of  this  hall,"  she  replied.  "We  will  be 
there.  -Have  no  fear,  lady,  whatever  you  may  see,  but 
be  bold  and  look  for  your  lover  in  the  fight."  So 

349 


HERO  MYTHS  AND  LEGENDS 

saying,  Hereward  kissed  the  hand  of  the  princess,  and 
passed  out  of  the  hall  unperceived  by  any  one. 

The  Ambush 

Returning  to  Sigtryg,  the  young  Saxon  told  all  that 
he  had  learnt,  and  the  Danes  planned  an  ambush  in  the 
-avine  where  Haco  had  decided  to  blind  and  set  free 
his  captives.  All  was  in  readiness,  and  side  by  side 
Hereward  and  Sigtryg  were  watching  the  pathway  from 
their  covert,  when  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  heard  on 
the  rocks  reduced  them  to  silence.  The  bridal  pro- 
cession came  in  strange  array  :  first  the  Danish  prisoners , 
bound  each  between  two  Cornishmen,  then  Haco  and 
his  unhappy  bride,  and  last  a  great  throng  of  Cornish- 
men.  Hereward  had  taken  command,  that  Sigtryg 
might  look  to  the  safety  of  his  lady,  and  his  plan 
was  simplicity  itself.  The  Danes  were  to  wait  till  their 
comrades,  with  their  guards,  had  passed  through  the 
ravine ;  then  while  the  leader  engaged  Haco,  and 
Sigtryg  looked  to  the  safety  of  the  princess,  the  Danes 
would  release  the  prisoners  and  slay  every  Cornishman, 
and  the  two  parties  of  Danes,  uniting  their  forces,  would 
restore  order  to  the  land  and  destroy  the  followers  of 
Haco. 

Success 

The  whole  was  carried  out  exactly  as  Hereward  had 
planned.  The  Cornishmen,  with  Danish  captives,  passed 
first  without  attack  ;  next  came  Haco,  riding  grim  and 
ferocious  beside  his  silent  bride,  he  exulting  in  his 
success,  she  looking  eagerly  for  any  signs  of  rescue. 
As  they  passed  Hereward  sprang  from  his  shelter, 
crying,  "Upon  them,  Danes,  and  set  your  brethren 
free  ! "  and  himself  struck  down  Haco  and  smote  off 
his  head.  There  was  a  short  struggle,  but  soon  the 
350 


SUCCESS 

rescued  Danes  were  able  to  aid  their  deliverers,  and  the 
Cornish  guards  were  all  slain  ;  the  men  of  King  Alef, 
never  very  zealous  for  the  cause  of  Haco,  fled,  and  the 
Danes  were  left  masters  of  the  field.  Sigtryg  had  in 
the  meantime  seen  to  the  safety  of  the  princess,  and 
now  placing  her  between  himself  and  Hereward,  he 
escorted  her  to  the  ship,  which  soon  brought  them  to 
Waterford  and  a  happy  bridal.  The  Prince  and  Princess 
of  Waterford  always  recognised  in  Hereward  their 
deliverer  and  best  friend,  and  in  their  gratitude  wished 
him  to  dwell  with  them  always ;  but  he  knew  "  how  hard 
a  thing  it  is  to  look  into  happiness  through  another 
man's  eyes,"  and  would  not  stay.  His  roving  and 
daring  temper  drove  him  to  deeds  of  arms  in  other 
lands,  where  he  won  a  renown  second  to  none,  but  he 
always  felt  glad  in  his  own  heart,  even  in  later  days, 
when  unfaithfulness  to  a  woman  was  the  one  great  sin  of 
his  life,  that  his  first  feats  of  arms  had  been  wrought  to 
rescue  two  maidens  from  their  hapless  fate,  and  that  he 
was  rightly  known  as  Hereward  the  Saxon,  the  Champion 
of  Women. 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


IN  the  following  Index  no  attempt  is  made  to  indicate  the  exact  pro- 
nunciation of  foreign  names ;  but  in  the  case  of  those  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  a  rough  approximation  is  given,  as  being  often  essential  to  the 
reading  of  the  metrical  versions.  In  these  indications  the  letters  have 
their  ordinary  English  values ;  6  indicates  the  very  light,  obscure  sound 
heard  in  the  indefinite  article  in  such  a  phrase  as  "with  a  rush." 


ABLOEC.     See  Anlaf 

ACHILLES.  His  sulks,  184  ;  Cuchu- 
lain,  "  the  Irish,"  184 

ADEON.  Son  of  Eudav  ;  grand- 
son of  Caradoc,  49 

AGE.     See  Golden  Age 

AILILL.  King  of  Connaught, 
husband  of  Queen  Meave;  to 
decide  claims  to  title  of  Chief 
Champion,  189 ;  seeks  aid  of 
Fairy  People  of  the  Hills,  193 

AILMAR.  King  of  Westernesse, 
290 ;  welcomes  and  adopts 
Childe  Horn,  291  ;  Princess 
Rymenhild,  daughter  of,  292  ; 
dubs  Horn  knight,  297  ;  hears 
of  Horn's  first  exploit,  299 ; 
Fikenhild  betrays  Horn  and 
Rymenhild  to,  300  ;  Horn  re- 
turns to,  304  ;  reluctantly  gives 
his  daughter  to  Horn,  308  ; 
Horn  leaves  Rymenhild  to  his 
care,  308,  309 

Aix  -  LA  -  CHAPELLE.  Wondrous 
springs  of,  125  ;  Charlemagne 
at,  155 

ALEF.  King  of  Cornwall;  Here- 
ward  at  court  of,  343  ;  casts 
Hereward  into  prison,  343  ;  his 
daughter  releases  Hereward, 
t,  345  J  Sigtryg  sends  forty 
to,  348 

ALFTRUDA.  Ward  of  Edward 
the  Confessor,  339  ;  Hereward's 
first  meeting  with,  339  ;  rescues 
from  Fairy  Bear,  340.  341  ; 
Hereward  takes  farewell  of,  342 

ALICE  OF  CLOUDESLEE.  Wife  of 
William  of  Cloudeslee,  227 ; 
outlaw  husband  visits,  227,  228  ; 


rescued  from  burning  house, 
232  ;  thanks  Adam  Bell  and 
Clym  for  delivering  her  husband, 
240 ;  appointed  chief  woman 
of  bedchamber  to  the  royal  chil- 
dren, 246 

ALL-FATHER.  Praised  for  Beo- 
wulf's victory  over  Grendel,  1 8 

ALTO-BIS-CA'E.  Song  of  (a  for- 
gery), 120 

ANGLESEY.     Same  as  Mona,  47 

ANGLO-SAXON  NOBILITY.  Here- 
ward the  ideal  of,  334,  335 

ANGLO-SAXON  TIMES.  Legends  re- 
garding Constantino  during,  42 

^ENGUS  THB  EVER-YOUNG.  Irish 
people  and  wrath  of,  158 

ANLAF.  Same  as  Olaf,  or  Sihtric- 
son  ;  known  to  Welsh  as  Abloec 
or  Habloc ;  romantic  stories 
concerning,  73 

ANSEIS,  DUKB  OF.  Mortally 
wounded,  143 

ARABIA.  Physicians  from,  with 
remedies  for  Constantino's  lep- 
rosy, 65 

ARMAGH.  Capital  of  Ulster  ;  Cu- 
chulain  and  Emer  dwell  at,  186  ; 
King  Conor  and  heroes  return 
to,  190  ;  heroes  return  to,  195 

ARNOLDIN,  SIR.  Cousin  of  Athulf  ; 
helps  to  save  Rymenhild,  312  ; 
King  Ailmar  nominates  as  his 
heir,  313 

ARTHUR,  KING.  Uncle  of  Sir 
Gawayne,  265  ;  Christmas  kept 
at  Carlisle  by,  266 ;  Guen- 
ever,  queen  of,  266  ;  uncle  of 
Sir  Gareth  and  Sir  Mordred, 
266  ;  damsel  requests  a  boon 
of,  267  ;  his  journey  to  Tarn 
Wathelan,  and  fight  with  giant, 
269 ;  humiliated  by  the  giant 

353 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


and  released  on  certain  con- 
ditions, 270  ;  his  search  for  the 
answer  to  the  giant's  question, 
270-272  ;  learns  it  from  the 
loathly  lady,  272  ;  the  ransom 
paid  to  giant,  273  ;  the  loathly 
lady  demands  a  young  and 
handsome  knight  for  husband 
for  helping,  274  ;  Sir  Gawayne 
offers  to  pay  ransom  for,  275 ; 
summons  court  to  hunt  in 
greenwood  near  Tarn  Wathelan, 
276 ;  rebukes  Sir  Kay,  277  ; 
his  joy  over  his  nephew's  wed- 
ding with  the  supposed  loathly 
lady,  284,  285 

ARTHURIAN  LEGEND.  Preserved 
by  mediaeval  Wales,  265 

ARVON.  Fertile  land  of,  searched 
by  ambassadors  of  Maxen  Wle- 
dig,  47-49 

ASBRAND.  Brother  of  Biargey, 
113  ;  helps  Howard  against 
Thorbiorn,  115 

ASCHERE  (ask-herg).  One  of 
King  Hrothgar's  thanes,  car- 
ried off  by  Grendel's  mother, 
21 

ATHELBRUS.  King  Ailmar's 
steward,  to  train  Childe  Horn 
to  be  a  knight,  291,  292  ;  in- 
duces Athulf  to  personate  Horn, 
293  ;  sends  Horn  to  Princess 
Rymenhild,  294  ;  land  of  King 
Modi  committed  to  care  of,  313 

ATHELSTAN.  King  of  England; 
kinship  of  Anlaf  with,  73 

ATHELWOLD.  King  of  England, 
father  of  Goldborough,  80  ;  his 
death  and  burial,  -8 1 

ATHULF.  Horn's  favourite  com- 
panion, 287  ;  personates  Horn 
before  Rymenhild,  293  ;  writes 
to  Horn  on  behalf  of  Rymen- 
hild, 303  ;  plans  with  Horn  the 
rescue  of  Rymenhild,  308  ;  his 
father  found  at  Suddene,  309, 
310;  weds  Reynild,  313 

AUDB  THB  FAIR.  Sister  of  Oh"  ver^ 
betrothed  bride  of  Roland,  155  ; 
Charlemagne  promises  his  son 
Louis  to,  155  ;  flies  of  grief  for 
Roland's  loss,  155 

354 


AUGUSTUS.  Constantino's  eleva- 
tion to  rank  of,  64 

AWE,  LOCH.  Black  Colin,  Knight 
of,  249,  250 ;  Black  Colin 
dwells  at,  with  wife,  250 ;  Lady 
of,  251  ;  Black  Colin  far  away 
from,  254  ;  Black  Colin's  return 
to,  258 


BABYLON,  EMIR  OF.  Marsile's 
vassal;  defeated  by  Charle- 
magne, 154 

BALTIC  SEA.  Forefathers  who 
dwelt  on  shores  of,  i 

BANIBR,  SIR.  A  Knight  of  the 
Round  Table,  266 

BARNESBALR.  Forest  in  South 
Yorkshire,  once  dwelling-place 
of  Robin  Hood,  314,  315  ;  Sir 
Richard  of  the  Lea  sets  out  for, 
to  repay  loan,  328 

BARTON,  SIR  ANDREW.  Scottish 
hero,  248 

BASQUES.  Attack  Charlemagne, 
119 

BATHSTEAD.  Place  on  shores  of 
Icefirth  near  where  Thorbiorn 
lived,  97-118 

BEAN-STAN.     Father  of  Breca,  12 

BEDIVERE,  SIR.  A  Knight  of  the 
Round  Table,  266 

BELI.  Son  of  Manogan  ;  Britain 
conquered  by  Maxen  Wledig 
from,  48 

BELL,  ADAM.  Outlaw  leader  in 
forest  of  Englewood,  226  ;  de- 
clared powerless  to  deliver 
William  of  Cloudeslee,  233  ; 
rescues  William  from  death,  237, 
238  ;  visit  to  London  to  see  the 
king,  241  ;  the  king  pardons, 
243 

BEO'WA.  Stories  of,  crystallised 
in  stories  of  Beowulf,  i 

BBO'WULF.  i.  The  poem  of,  i. 
2.  Thane  of  Hygelac,  King 
of  Geats,  I  ;  son  of  Ecgtheow, 
6;  nephew  of  King  Hygelac, 
6 ;  grandson  of  Hrethel,  6 ; 
brought  up  at  Geatish  court. 
6 ;  famous  swimming  match 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


with  Breca,  6 ;  his  mighty 
hand-grip,  6 ;  sails  for  Den- 
mark to  attack  Grendel,  6 ; 
challenged  by  Warden  of  Den- 
mark, 6  ;  declares  his  mission 
to  Hrothgar.  10 ;  disparaged 
by  Hunferth,  12  ;  honoured  by 
Queen  Wealhtheow,  14,  20  ; 
struggles  with  Grendel,  16 ; 
mortally  wounds  Grendel,  17  ; 
vows  to  slay  mother  of  Gren- 
del, 23  ;  does  so,  26  ;  carries  off 
sword-hilt  and  Grendel's  head, 
26 ;  sails  to  Geatland,  29  ; 
welcomed  by  King  Hygelac  and 
Queen  Hygd,  29,  30 ;  chief 
champion  of  Hygelac,  30 ;  re- 
fuses the  throne  in  favour  of 
Heardred,  and  becomes  guar- 
dian of,  31  ;  again  chosen  King 
of  Geatland,  31  ;  encounters 
with  fire-dragon,  31-39 ;  re- 
cites slaying  of  Prankish  war- 
rior, Daghrefn,  35  ;  forsaken  by 
Geats  in  his  encounter  with 
the  fire-dragon,  36;  slays  the 
dragon,  37  ;  his  death  and 
funeral,  39-41 

BERILD.  Son  of  King  Thurston, 
301  ;  slain  by  the  Saracens,  302 

BERNARD  BROWN.  Danish  magis- 
trate ;  protects  Havelok  and 
Goldborough,  88-89 

BER-NA'R-DO  DEL  CA'R-PIO.  Hero 
in  Spanish  legend  who  defeats 
Roland,  121 

BERTRAM.  Earl's  cook  who  be- 
friended Havelok,  82-83 ;  mar- 
ries one  of  Grim's  daughters 
and  becomes  Earl  of  Cornwall, 

94 

BIARGEY.  Wife  of  Howard  the 
Halt,  97  ;  urges  Howard  to 
claim  wergild  for  Olaf,  106,  107, 
1 08  ;  Howard  returns  to,  in; 
visits  her  brothers,  Valbrand, 
Thorbrand,  and  Asbrand,  112, 
113;  hails  Thorbiorn  while  out 
fishing,  112;  urges  Howard  to 
seek  vengeance,  113,  114 

BIRKABBYN.  Rule  of,  as  king 
over  Denmark,  74 ;  Swan- 
borow"  and  Elfleda,  daughters 


of,  and  Havelok,  son  of,  7  ; 
commits  Havelok  to  care  of 
Jarl  Godard,  75  ;  death  and 
funeral  of,  75  ;  Jarl  Ubbe,  an 
old  friend  of,  87 

BLACK  COLIN  OF  LOCH  AWB,  249  ; 
son  of  Sir  Nigel  Campbell,  249  ; 
Patterson,  name  of  foster* 
parents,  250  ;  messenger  tells 
of  aew  crusade,  250  ;  decides  to 
go  on  crusade,  251  ;  his  wife's 
grief,  251  ;  touches  at  Edin- 
burgh and  ships  at  Leith,  en 
routs  to  Holy  Land,  253  ;  his 
desire  to  see  Holy  Land  and 
Holy  Sepulchre,  253  ;  reaches 
Rome,  253  ;  sees  Pope,  253  ; 
regards  Pope  as  Vicar  of  Christ, 
253  ;  journeys  to  Rhodes,  253  ; 
takes  service  with  Knights  of 
St.  John,  253  ;  a  pilgrim  at 
Jerusalem,  253  ;  letter  in  name 
of,  forged  by  Baron  MacCor- 
quodale,  255  ;  falsely  reported 
wounded  by  Saracens,  255  ; 
hears  news  of  wife's  impending 
second  marriage,  257  ;  returns 
home,  258  ;  welcomed  by  foster- 
mother,  259 ;  disguised  as  a 
beggar,  hands  token  to  his  wife, 
262  ;  recognised  and  welcomed 
by  his  wife,  262 

BLACK  DOUGLAS.  Scottish  hero, 
248 

BLACK  MONK,  THB.  Captured 
by  Robin  Hood's  followers,  330 ; 
high  cellarer  in  Abbey  of  St. 
Mary,  331  ;  Robin  Hood  con- 
fiscates his  gold  as  repayment 
of  loan  to  Sir  Richard  of  the 
L**.  33i.  332;  departs  from 
greenwood,  332 

BLACK  SAINGLAIN.  One  of  Cu- 
chulain's  magic  steeds,  191 

BLANCANDRIN.  Vassal  of  King 
Marsile,  123  ;  overtaken  by 
Ganelon,  1 30 ;  Ganelon  and,  plot 
Roland's  destruction,  131 

BLAYB.  Bodies  of  Roland,  Oh' ver, 
and  Turpia  buried  in  cathedral 
of,  155 

BLUBMIKB.  Dwelling  -  place  of 
Howard  the  Halt,  97 

355 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


BOG  OF  ALLEN.  Cathleen's  mes- 
senger declared  to  be  sick  in, 
177 

BORS,  SIR.  A  Knight  of  the 
Round  Table.  266 

BOURNE,  HALL  OF.  Home  of  Leo- 
f ric,  Earl  of  Mercia,  3  36 

BRAND.  Trusted  serving-man  of 
Thorbiorn,  97,  102 

BRECA.  Famous  swimming  cham- 
pion, beaten  by  Beowulf,  6 ;  son 
of  Beanstan,  1 2 

BRICRIU  OF  THE  BITTER  TONGUE. 
Compared  with  Thersites,  1 86  ; 
invites  King  Conor  and  Red 
Branch  herpes  to  a  feast,  186  ; 
stirs  up  strife  among  heroes  of 
Ulster,  187,  1 88  ;  flatters  the 
wives  of  the  heroes,  189,  190 

BRIGIT.  i.  Of  the  Holy  Fire ; 
wrath  of,  and  Irish  people,  158. 
2.  Cathleen's  old  servant,  173 

BRISEIS.  Achilles  and  his  sulks 
concerning,  184 

BRITAIN.  Legend  of  "  The  Dream 
of  Maxen  Wledig  "  shows  im- 
portance of  Constantino  to,  42  ; 
ambassadors  of  Maxen  Wledig 
carried  to,  47  ;  conquered  by 
Maxen  Wledig  from  Beli,  son  of 
Manogan,  48  ;  given  by  Maxen 
Wledig  to  Eudav,  49;  Elene 
summoned  from,  is  baptized, 
and  seeks  the  sacred  Cross,  54- 
62  ;  Constantino  sent  to,  63  ; 
Constantine  proclaimed  em- 
peror of,  63 

BRITONS,  EARLY,  Greeks  of 
Homer,  and  Irish  Celts,  racial 
affinity  between,  184 

BRITTANY.  Roland,  prefect  of 
marches  of,  120 

BRUCE,  ROBERT.  Scottish  hero, 
248  ;  Sir  Nigel  Campbell,  ad- 
herent of,  249 


CAERLLKON.     See  Caernarvon,  49 
CAERMARTHBN.     See  Caernarvon, 

49 
CAERNARVON.     Castle  in  land  of 

Arvon  in  which  Princess  Helena 
3S6 


dwelt,  48  ;  given  with  castles 
Caerlleon  and  Caermarthen  to 
Princess  Helena  as  dowry,  49 

CAIN.     Grendel,  offspring  of,  4 

CALEDONIANS.  Defeated  by  Con- 
stantius,  63 

CALIDORE,  SIR.  Mediaeval  Wales 
had  a  knight  of  courtesy  equal 
to,  265 

CALVARY.     The  hill  of,  58,  59,  61 

CAMPBELL,  SIR  NIGEL.  Leader 
in  Scottish  Independence,  249  ; 
father  of  Black  Colin,  249  ;  his 
death,  250  ;  clansmen  of,  ac- 
company Black  Colin  to  Holy 
Land, 252 

CARADOC.  Father  of  Eudav  ; 
grandfather  of  Princess  Helena, 
and  of  Princes  Kynon  and 
Adeon,  49 

CARLISLE.  Outlaw  band  near 
town  of,  in  Englewood  Forest, 
226 ;  reference  to  sheriff  of, 
227  ;  William  of  Cloudeslee 
goes  to.  227  ;  sheriff  informed 
of  William's  presence  at,  229  ; 
outlaws  Adam  Bell  and  Clym 
go  to,  234 ;  the  outlaws  escape 
from,  239  ;  King  Arthur  keeps 
Christmas  at,  266 ;  Sir  Gawayne 
and  loathly  lady  wedded  at,  280 

CATHEAD.  Druid ;  Cuchulain's 
tutor,  185 

CATHLEEN.  Irish  countess  ;  legend 
concerning,  1 56 ;  antiquity 
of  the  legend,  1 56  ;  the  story, 
156-183  ;  her  grief  because 
of  her  people's  famine,  161; 
prays  to  Virgin  Mary,  163  ; 
Fergus,  steward  of,  163  ;  value 
of  her  wealth,  164 ;  com- 
mands Fergus  to  provide  food 
for  sufferers  from  famine,  165  ; 
her  goodness  extolled  by  the 
demons,  169  ;  hears  of  demon 
traders,  172  ;  tries  to  check 
traffic  in  souls,  174 ;  visits 
demons,  176 ;  Oona,  foster- 
mother  to,  178  ;  revisits 
demons,  179;  sells  her  soul,  179, 
1 80  ;  her  death,  182 

CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  Pope,  head 
Of,  119 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


CELION.  Constantino  to  send  to, 
for  Bishop  Sylvester,  71 

CELTIC  LITERATURE.  Spirit  of 
mysticism  in  all,  156 

CELTS.  Gospel  preached  to,  by 
St.  Patrick,  157;  Irish,  early 
Britons,  and  Greeks  of  Homer, 
racial  affinity  between,  184 

CHAMPION,  i.  Of  Erin:  compared 
with  Achilles,  184;  Cuchulain 
the,  his  fame  at  age  of  seventeen, 
185  ;  Bricriu  urges  Laegair*  to 
claim  title  of,  187  ;  title  to  go 
to  warrior  who  obtains  Cham- 
pion's Bit,  187  ;  tests  to  decide 
claims  to  title  of,  193,  194,  196- 
203  ;  Uath  the  Stranger  chal- 
lenges the  heroes  to  a  test  to 
decide  claims  to  title,  199-203. 
2.  Of  Women:  Hereward known 
as,  351 

CHAMPION  OF  IRELAND.  See 
Champion  of  Erin. 

CHAMPION'S  BIT,  THE,  187,  188  ; 
claimed  by  chariot-drivers  of 
Laegaire,  Conall,  and  Cuchu- 
lain, 188,  189;  awarded  by 
Queen  Meave  to  Laegaire,  195  ; 
heroes  severally  claim,  195,  196  ; 
tests  to  decide  claims  to,  1 96-203 

CHANSON  DB  ROLAND.  Roland 
and,  121 ;  late  version  of  Anglo- 
Norman  poem,  122  ;  Thorold, 
author  of,  122 

CHARLEMAGNE.  World  -  famed 
equivalent,  119  ;  head  of  Roman 
Empire,  119;  Roland,  nephew 
of,  119;  expedition  into  Spain, 
119;  receives  an  embassage 
from  Marsile,  124 ;  calls  his 
Twelve  Peers  to  council,  125  ; 
sends  Ganelon  to  Saragossa, 
128-130;  receives  through 
Ganelon  the  keys  of  Saragossa, 
134  ;  his  evil  dream,  134,  137  ; 
hears  Roland's  horn,  145,  146  ; 
hastens  to  the  rescue,  146 ; 
avenges  death  of  Roland  and 
the  Peers,  153,  154  ;  his  return 
to  Aix,  155  ;  his  son,  Louis, 
promised  to  Aude  the  Fair,  155 

CHARLES  "THE  GREAT.  King  of 
the  Franks,  world-famed  as 


Charlemagne,  119.     See  Charle- 
magne 

CHILDB  HORN.     See  Horn 

CHOSEN  PEOPLE.   The  Jews  the,  56 

CHRIST.  The  Cross  the  sign 
of,  5  3 ;  the  Resurrection  of, 
preached  to  Constantino,  53  ; 
Constantino's  desire  to  find  the 
sacred  Cross,  54;  inhabitants 
of  Suddene  who  believe  ou, 
threatened  with  death,  287 

CHRISTENDOM.  Enriched  by  trea- 
sures of  the  True  Cross  and  Holy 
Nails,  62 

CHRISTIAN-S.  Preach  the  way  of 
life  to  Constantino,  53  ;  the 
Lord  of,  57  ;  faith,  in  Iceland, 
96,  97  ;  law,  to  be  driven  out  of 
Suddene  by  law  of  Mahomet,  287 

CHURCH  OF  ROME.  Constantino's 
generosity  to,  42 

CHURCHMEN.  Beaten  and  bat- 
tered by  Gamelyn,  217 

CINDERELLA.  Root  idea  of, 
similar  to  "  Gamelyn,"  204 

CLYM  OF  THE  CLBUGH.  Outlaw 
leader  in  forest  of  Englewood, 
226  ;  declared  powerless  to  de- 
liver William  of  Cloudeslee,  233  ; 
his  stratagem  to  save  William 
of  Cloudeslee,  234;  rescues 
William  fromdeath,  238  ;  visits 
London  to  see  the  king,  241  ; 
the  king  pardons,  243 

COLIN,  BLACK.  See  Black  Colin/ 
249 

COMALA.  Hero  in  Gaelic  High- 
land poems,  248 

CONALL  CEARNACH.  Cuchulain's 
cousin,  a  Red  Branch  chief,  187  ; 
urged  to  claim  title  of  Chief 
Champion,  187;  awarded  Cham- 
pion's Portion,  195  ;  claim 
tested  by  Curoi,  196-203  ;  dis- 
graced by  Uath,  201 

CONFESSIO  AMANTIS.  Early  Eng- 
lish poem,  by  "  the  moral 
Gower,"  42  ;  story  told  in,  of 
Constantino's  true  charity,  64 

CONNAUGHT.  Ailill,  King  of,  189; 
heroes  sent  to  Cruachan  in,  190 

CONOR.  King  of  Ulster,  185  ;  Cu- 
chulain, nephew  of,  185  ;  Dech- 

3SJ 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


tire,  sister  of,  185  ;  invited 
with  the  heroes  of  Red  Branch 
to  a  feast  by  Bricriu,  186;  re- 
ceived with  court  at  Dundrum 
by  Bricriu,  188 

CONQUEROR,  WILLIAM  THE.  Cause 
of  England  being  laid  at  feet 
of.  338 

CONSTANTINB  III.  King  of  Scot- 
land ;  marriage  of  Anlaf  with 
daughter  of,  73 

CONSTANTINE    THB    GREAT.      Em- 

peror  of  Rome ;  renown  in 
mediaeval  England,  42  ;  Cyne- 
wulf's  poem,  "  Elene,"  written 
on  the  subject  of  his  conversion, 
42 ;  his  vision  of  the  Holy 
Cross,  42,  50,  5 1  ;  generosity  to 
Church  of  Rome  and  Bishop 
Sylvester,  42  ;  legends  concern- 
ing, 42  ;  the  only  British-born 
Roman  emperor,  49  ;  his 
greatness  provokes  a  confedera- 
tion to  overthrow  him  by  Huns, 
Goths,  Franks,  and  Hugas,  50 ; 
conquers  Huns  by  Cross  stan- 
dard, 52  ;  Christians  preach 
the  way  of  life  to,  53  ;  is  bap- 
tized into  the  Christian  faith, 
53  ;  his  desire  to  find  the  sacred 
Cross,  54  ;  sends  for  Elene,  54  ; 
ordains  "  Holy  Cross  Day,"  62  ; 
eldest  son  of  Constantius,  63  ; 
sent  to  Britain,  63  ;  "proclaimed 
emperor,  63  ;  granted  title  of 
"  Caesar,"  64  ;  marriage  with 
Fausta,  64  ;  elevation  to  rank 
of  Augustus,  64 ;  Emperor  of 
Rome,  64 ;  attacked  by  lep- 
i  osy,  64  ;  the  remedies  sug- 
gested, 65-72  ;  his  noble  re- 
solve, 68  ;  his  vision,  69-70  ; 
his  healing,  71-72 

CONSTANTIUS.  Emperor  Maxen- 
tius  hero  of  the  Welsh  saga  in- 
stead of,  42  ;  father  of  Constan- 
tino the  Great,  63  ;  proclaimed 
Emperor  of  Britain,  63 

CORNISH  PRINCESS.THE.  Daughter 
o  King  Alef,  affianced  to  Prince 
Sigtryg,  343,  344,  345,  346; 
Haco  betrothed  to,  347,  348, 
receives  token  from  Hereward ; 

35« 


348  ;  reveals  Haco's  plans  to 
Hereward,  349  ;  rescued  from 
Haco,  350;  guards,  all  slain, 
351  ;  wedded  by  Sigtryg,  351 

CORNWALL.  Godrich,  Earl  of, 
80  ;  Bertram  made  Earl  of,  94  ; 
Hereward  sails  for,  343  ;  Alef, 
King  of,  343  ;  Sigtryg  and 
Hereward  sail  for,  347 

COVENTRY.  Lady  Godiva's  ride 
through,  335 

CRESCENT.  Cross  exalted  above 
the,  253 

CROSS.  The  Holy,  Constantino's 
vision  of,  42,  50,  51  ;  Romans 
conquer  Huns  by,  52  ;  the 
people  awed  by  the  standard  of 
the,  53  ;  Constantino's  desire 
to  find  the  sacred,  54  ;  Elene's 
quest  after,  54-62  ;  secret 
place  of,  revealed  by  Judas,  61  ; 
"  Holy  Cross  Day  "  ordained, 
62 

CRUACHAN.  Conor  sends  heroes 
to  Ailill  at,  190  ;  Good  People's 
Hill  at,  193  ;  heroes  bid  fare- 
well to  court  at,  195 

CRUSADE-S.  Reference  to,  249 , 
Black  Colin  receives  tidings  of 
one  about  to  be  set  on  foot, 
250  ;  Black  Colin  decides  to  go 
on,  251  ;  story  of  Horn  typical 
of  romance  of  the,  286 

CUCHULAIN.  Reference  to  Connla 
and,  95  ;  Irish  hero,  156;  often 
called  "  the  Irish  Achilles," 
1 84  ;  nephew  of  King  Conor  and 
son  of  Dechtire,  185  ;  god  Lugh, 
reputed  father  of,  185  ;  champion 
in  Ulster  and  all  Ireland,  185  ; 
bride  sought  for,  '186;  wooes 
and  weds  Emer,  daughter  of 
Forgall  the  Wily,  186  ;  Conall 
Cearnach,  cousin  of,  187  ;  urged 
to  claim  title  of  Chief  Cham- 
pion, 1 88  ;  Grey  of  Macha  and 
Black  Sainglain,  magic  steeds 
of,  191  ;  awarded  golden  cup 
and  Champion's  Portion,  195  ; 
claim  tested  by  Curoi,  196-203  ; 
answers  Uath's  tests,  202  ;  ac- 
claimed Champion  of  Heroes  of 
all  Ireland,  203 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


CUROI  OF  MUNSTER.  Failing  a 
judgment  from  Ailill,  to  be 
asked  to  decide  claims  to  title 
of  Chief  Champion,  190  ;  heroes 
go  to,  to  hear  his  judgment, 
196 ;  puts  heroes  to  certain 
tests  in  order  to  decide  claims, 
196-203  ;  assumes  form  of 
giant  under  name  of  Uath,  the 
Stranger,  199-203 

CURTIUS.     Reference  to,  156 

CUTHBERT.  Name  under  which 
Childe  Horn  serves  King  Thur- 
ston  in  Ireland,  301,  302 

CYNEWULF  (ki'nfe-wulf).  Early 
English  religious  poet ;  "Elene," 
his  poem  on  the  subject  of 
conversion  of  Constaatine  the 
Great,  42 

CYRIACUS.  Baptismal  name  of 
Judas,  61  ;  Bishop  of  Jeru- 
salem, 6 1 


DAGDA.  Irish  people  and  wrath 
of,  158 

DA'G-HREFN.  Prankish  warrior 
who  slays  Hygelac ;  killed  by 
Beowulf's  deadly  hand-grip,  35 

DANES.  Corpse  of  Scyld  sorrow- 
fully placed  in  vessel  by,  2  ; 
feasting  of,  in  Heorot,  4 ; 
slaia  in  Heorot  by  Grendel, 
4 ;  desert  Heorot,  5  ;  wel- 
come Geats  and  Beowulf,  10  ; 
rejoice  over  Beowulf's  victory, 
18-29  ;  friendship  with  Geats, 
30;  Gospel  preached  to,  157; 
Prince  Sigtryg  sends  forty  to 
King  Alaf,  348  ;  plan  ambush 
for  Haco,  350  ;  rescue  Cornish 
princess,  350,  351 

DANISH,  i.  Occupation  of  Eng- 
land and  its  influence  on 
language,  &c.,  73.  2.  Invasions, 
hero-legends  which  have  come 
down  from  times  of,  286 

DANUBE.     Huns  overwhelmed  in, 

52 
DECHTIRB.     Sister  of  King  Conor, 

185 
DBCIUS.     Reference  to,  1 56 


DEMONS.  Appear  in  Erin  to  bay 
souls,  1 68  ;  visited  by  Cathleen. 
176 ;  revisited  by  her,  179 ; 
Cathleen  sells  her  soul  to,  to 
ransom  her  people,  179  ;  cheated 
of  Cathleen's  soul,  182 

DENMARK.  Under  sway  of  Scyld 
Scefing,  2  ;  Scyld  Scefing  mys- 
teriously comes  to,  as  babe,  2  ; 
Beowulf  sails  to  deliver  King  of, 
from  Grendel,  6 ;  Warden  of, 
challenges  Beowulf,  6 ;  King 
Birkabeyn's  rule  over,  74 ; 
Godard  made  regent  of,  on  be- 
half of  Havelok,  75  ;  Havelok 
sails  from,  with  Grim,  80 ;  Have- 
lok's  dream  concerning,  86 ; 
Havelok's  return  to,  and  recog- 
nition as  King  of,  87-92 

DIARMUIT.     Irish  hero,  1 56 

DIOCLETIAN.  Emperor ;  Con- 
stantine  evades  jealousy  of,  63 

DODDERER.  Horse  offered  as  wer- 
gild  by  Thorbiorn  to  Howard, 
107 

DOVER.  Princess  Goldborough 
imprisoned  in  castle  of,  81  ; 
Hereward  sails  from,  to  Whitby, 
339 

DUBLIN.  Demons  arrive  at  vil- 
lage near,  168 

DUNDRUM.  Bricriu  receives  King 
Conor  and  court  at,  188 

DUNSTAN.  Monk ;  his  saintly 
reputation,  335 

DURENDALA.  Roland's  famous 
sword,  1 36  ;  Roland  tries  in 
vain  to  break,  152 


ECGTHEOW  (eg'theow).  Father 
of  Beowulf,  10 ;  shielded  by 
Hrothgar  against  Wilfings,  n 

EDINBURGH.  Black  Colin  at,  en 
route  to  Holy  Land,  253 

EDWARD,  i.  The  First;  reference 
to  war  between  England  and 
Scotland  during  reign  of.  249  ; 
2.  The  Second  :  reference,  ibid., 
249.  3.  The  Confessor:  divi- 
sion of  England  under,  335  j 
Heiward  at  conrt  of,  337,  338  j 

359 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


banishes  Hereward,  338,  339; 
Alftruda,  ward  of,  339 

EGYPT.  Constantino's  valour  in 
wars  in,  64  ;  philosophers  from, 
with  remedies  for  Constantino's 
leprosy,  65 

ELECTRA.  Reference  to  Orestes 
and,  95 

ELENA.  Same  as  Elene  and 
Helena,  63 

"  ELENE  "  (ela'ne).  Cynewulf's 
poem  of,  on  the  subject  of  Con- 
stantino's conversion,  42  ;  sum- 
moned from  Britain  by  Con- 
stantine,  is  baptized,  and  seeks 
the  sacred  Cross,  54-62.  Same 
as  Helena  (Elena),  63 

ELFLEDA  THE  FAIR.  Daughter  of 
King  Birkabeyn,  74  ;  slain  by 
Godard,  76 

ELY.     Hereward's  defence  of,  334 

EMER.  Daughter  of  Forgall  the 
Wily;  wooed  and  wedded  by 
Cuchulain,  186 ;  flattered  by 
Bricriu,  189  ;  flattered  by  Queen 
Meave,  195  ;  adjudged  by  Uath 
to  have  first  place  among  all 
the  women  of  Ulster,  203 

ENGELIER  THE  GASCON.  Mor- 
tally wounded,  143 

ENGLAND.  Mediaeval,  and  Con- 
stantino the  Great,  42  ;  in- 
fluence on  language  by  Danish 
occupation,  73  ;  Athelstan, 
King  of,  73  ;  Athelwold,  King 
of,  80  ;  Grim  sails  from  Den- 
mark to,  8p ;  arrives  at,  in 
Humber  (Grimsby),  81  ;  Have- 
lok's  '  dream  concerning,  86  ; 
Fergus  journeys  to,  165  ;  the 
outlaw  of  mediaeval,  225  ;  King 
of,  pardons  outlaws,  William 
of  Cloudeslee,  &c.,  243  ;  war 
between  Scotland  and,  249 ; 
government  of,  during  twelfth, 
thirteenth,  and  fourteenth  cen- 
turies, 314  ;  division  of,  under 
Edward  the  Confessor,  335  ; 
cause  of  being  laid  at  Con- 
queror's feet,  338 

ENGLEWOOD.  Outlaws  in  forest 
of,  under  Adam  Bell,  William 
of  Cloudeslee,  and  Clym  of  the 

360 


Cleugh,  226 ;  outlaw  band 
broken  up,  247 

ERCOL.  Ailill's  foster-father ; 
heroes  sent  to,  194 

ERIN.  See  Ireland,  157  ;  demons 
appear  in,  168  ;  Champion  of, 
compared  with  Achilles,  184; 
land  of,  searched  for  bride  for 
Cuchulain,  186 

EUDAV.  Son  of  Caradoc,  father 
of  Princess  Helena,  49  ;  Kynon 
and  Adeon,  sons  of,  49 

EUROPE.  Ruled  from  City  of 
Seven  Hills  (Rome)  by  Em- 
peror Maxen  Wledig,  43  ;  Con- 
stantino granted  rule  over 
Western,  64  ;  relation  between 
Greek  and  Irish  literature  among 
literatures  of,  184 

EVIL  ONE.  Tales  relating  deal- 
ings with,  reference  to,  157  ; 
demons  buy  souls  for,  168-182 

EXCALIBUK.  King  Arthur's  sword, 
269 


FAIRY  BEAR,  THE.  A  white  Polar 
bear  owned  by  Gilbert  of  Ghent, 
340 ;  reputed  kinship  of,  to 
Earl  Siward,  340,  342;  slain 
by  Hereward,  341  ;  Hereward's 
trick  on  Norman  knights  with, 
341.  342 

FAIRY  PEOPLE  OF  THE  HILLS. 
King  Ailill  seeks  aid  of,  193 

FAITH.  Bishop  Sylvester  preaches 
the  Christian,  to  Constantino, 
71  ;  Charlemagne  fights  for, 
119;  Marsile  to  embrace  the 
Christian.  131  ;  the  true,  Eng- 
lish knowledge  of,  165  ;  Irish 
sufferers  tempted  to  revolt 
from,  167 

FALL,  THE,  OF  MAN,  71 

FAUST.     Legends,  trend  of,  157 

FAUSTA.  Daughter  of  Emperor 
Maximian  and  wife  of  Constan- 
tino, 64 

FEDELM.  Wife  of  Laegaire, 
189 

FEN  COUNTRY.  Hereward,  the 
terror  of  the,  336 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


FENIANS.  Champions  of  the,  iden- 
tical with  Highland  Gaelic 
heroes,  248 

FERGUS  THE  WHITE.  Cath- 
leen's  steward,  163  ;  foster- 
brother  to  Cathleen's  grand- 
father, 164  ;  declares  value  of 
Cathleen's  wealth,  164  ;  sends 
servant  to  buy  food  at  Ulster, 
165  ;  journeys  to  England,  165  ; 
returns  with  help,  182 

FIKENHILD.  Horn's  companion 
next  in  favour  to  Athulf,  287  ; 
spies  on  Horn  and  Rymenhild, 
299,  300  ;  demands  Rymenhild 
in  marriage,  311  ;  slain  by 
Horn,  313 

FINGAL.  Hero  in  Gaelic  High- 
land poems,  248  ;  Scotch  em- 
bodiment of  Finn,  248 

FINN.  Fingal  Scotch  embodi- 
ment, 248 

FINN  OF  THB  FRISIANS.  Victory 
of  Danes  over,  chanted  in 
Heorot,  19 

FINNSBURG.  Fight  in,  sung  of  in 
Heorot,  19 

FITELA.  Son  of  Sigmund  ;  glory 
of,  chanted  by  Danish  bard,  18 

FLEMINGS.  Or  Normans  ;  Here- 
ward  enrolled  among,  to  qualify 
for  knighthood,  339 ;  Here- 
ward's  trick  on,  with  Fairy 
Bear,  341,  342 

FOREFATHERS.  Feelings  of  our, 
embodied  in  "  Beowulf,"  I 

FORGALL  THE  WILY.  Cuchulain 
wooes  Emer,  daughter  of,  186 

FRANCE.  Victories  of  Charle- 
magne for,  119;  Charlemagne 
sets  out  for,  1 34 

FRANKISH.  i.  Warrior,  Daghrefn, 
slays  Hygelac,  and  is  slain  by 
Beowulf,  35.  2.  Army  marches 
towards  Pyrenees,  134  ;  arrives 
too  late  to  rescue  Roland, 
146 

FRANKS.  Charles  the  Great 
(Charlemagne),  King  of,  119; 
Saracen  host  encamps  near, 
1 34  ;  and  Moors  meet  in  battle, 
140  ;  defeat  the  Saracens,  141  ; 
attacked  by  second  Saracen 


army,  142  ;  defeat  the  heathens 
once  more,  143  ;  attacked  by 
third  Saracen  army,  144 

FRENCH  LITERATURE,  developing 
"  Roland  Saga,"  121 

FRIAR  TUCK.     See  Tuck 


GALERIUS.  Constantino  evades 
hatred  of,  63  ;  grants  Constan- 
tine  title  of  "  Caesar,"  63 

GAMELYN.  Tale  of,  a  variant 
of  fairy-tale  "Wicked  Elder 
Brothers,"  204 ;  ultimate 
source,  through  Lodge's  "  Eu- 
phues*  Golden  Legacy,"  of  As 
You  Like  It,  204  ;  literary  an- 
cestor of  "  Robin  Hood,"  204  ; 
Sir  John  of  the  Marshes,  father 
of,  205  ;  left  in  charge  of  eldest 
brother,  John,  206  ;  resists  him, 
207,  208  ;  victorious  at  wrest- 
ling match,  210,  211  ;  over- 
comes his  brother's  servants, 
212 ;  allows  himself  to  be 
chained,  213  ;  released  by 
Adam  Spencer,  214,  215  ;  bat- 
ters the  Churchmen,  217;  puts 
his  brother  John  in  chains,  217  ; 
puts  sheriff's  men  to  flight,  218  ; 
goes  to  the  greenwood,  219 ; 
joins  the  outlaws,  220 ;  pro- 
claimed a  wolf's-head,  220  ; 
arrested,  221  ;  Otho  offers  him- 
self as  surety,  221  ;  fails  to 
appear  at  court,  222,  223  ;  re- 
leases Otho,  223  ;  sits  on 
judge's  seat  and  condemns  Sir 
John,  224  ;  made  chief  forester 
by  King  Edward,  224;  made 
Otho's  heir,  224 

GANELON.  Romanco  version  of 
Danilo  or  Nanilo,  121  ;  com- 
pared with  Judas,  121  ;  one  of 
Charlemagne's  Twelve  Peers, 
125  ;  his  hostility  to  Roland, 
126;  plots  with  Blancandrin 
the  destruction  of  Roland,  131 ; 
delivers  to  Marsile  the  message 
of  Charlemagne,  131,  132  ; 
swears  on  sacred  relics  the 
treacherous  death  of  Roland, 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


134;  delivers  keys  of  Saragossa 
to  Charlemagne,  1 34  ;  deceives 
Charlemagne  concerning  sound 
of  Roland's  horn,  145,  146  ; 
arrested  for  treason,  146  ;  his 
death  as  a  traitor,  155  ;  his 
name  a  byword  in  France  for 
treachery,  155 

GARBTH,  SIR.  One  of  King 
Arthur's  nephews,  266 

GASCONS.  Attack  Charlemagne, 
119 

GAUTIE*.  COUNT.  Roland's  vas- 
sal, 136 

GAWAYNE,  SIR.  King  Arthur's 
nephew,  the  true  Knight  of 
Courtesy,  265  ;  learns  of  King 
Arthur's  adventure  with  the 
giant,  274  ;  learns  the  price  to 
be  paid  for  the  loathly  lady's 
secret,  275  ;  offers  to  pay  it  by 
marrying  the  loathly  lady,  27  5  ; 
betroths  the  loathly  lady,  279, 
280  ;  weds  the  loathly  lady, 
280  ;  his  choice  frees  the  loathly 
lady  from  magic  spells,  281, 
283 ;  the  beauty  of  his  bride, 
281-285 

GEATISH  COURT.  Beowulf 
brought  up  at,  6 

GEATLAND.  Same  as  Gotaland  ; 
news  of  Grendel's  ravages 
reaches,  6 ;  Beowulf  sails  to,  29  ; 
welcomed  to  shores  of,  29,  30 

GEATS.  Hygelac,  King  of,  i  ; 
Gotaland,  realm  of,  5  ;  arrival 
with  Beowulf  at  Danish  shores, 
7  ;  friendship  with  Danes,  30  ; 
forsake  Beowulf  in  his  encounter 
with  the  fire-dragon,  36  ;  their 
sorrow  over  Beowulf's  death, 
40-41 

GBRIER.  Peer  of  Charlemagne; 
mortally  wounded,  143 

GERIN.  Peer  of  Charlemagne; 
mortally  wounded,  143 

GERMANY.  Forefathers  who 
dwelt  in  North,  i  ;  Hygelac 
seeks  conquest  of  his  neigh- 
bours on  mainland  of,  5 

GHENT.     See  Gilbert 

GILBERT  OF  GHENT.  Here- 
ward's  godfather.  339  ;  Here- 

*6z 


ward  received  by,  339 ;  his 
Fairy  Bear,  slain  by  Hereward, 
340,  341  ;  Hereward  quits  his 
castle,  342 ;  Hereward  takes 
farewell  of,  343 

GLENURCHY.  Glen  belonging  to 
MacGregors,  given  to  Sir  Niger 
Campbell,  249 ;  Black  Colin 
inherits,  250  ;  Lady  of,  grieves 
over  her  husband's  departure 
on  crusade,  251  ;  Baron  Mac- 
Corquodale's  land  borders,  256  ; 
Black  Colin' s  return  to,  258  ; 
new  castle  built  with  rents  of, 
264 

GOD.  The  Unknown,  reverenced 
by  Constantine,  51  ;  the  people 
awed  by  the  token  of  the  Uti- 
known,  53  ;  worship  of  the 
True,  157  ;  famine  cools  love 
for,  167 

GODARD,  JARL.  Counsellor  and 
friend  of  King  Birkabeyn,  75  ; 
Havelok  committed  to  care  of, 
75  ;  regency  over  Denmark. 
75  ;  his  cruelty,  76-78 ;  his 
treachery  disclosed  and  pun- 
ished by  death,  91-92 

GODHILD.  Queen  of  Suddene, 
King  Hurry's  consort,  the 
mother  of  Horn,  286  ;  hears  of 
husband's  death  and  flees,  288 

GODIVA,  i  LADY.  Wife  of  Leofric, 
Earl  of  Mercia,  335  ;  her  famous 
ride  through  Coventry,  335 ; 
Hereward,  second  son  of,  336 

GODRICH.  Earl  of  Cornwall,  re- 
gent for  Princess  Goldborough, 
80 ;  his  rule,  81  ;  imprisons 
Princess  Goldborough  out  of 
jealousy,  81  ;  attends  sports  at 
Lincoln,  83  ;  hears  of  Havelok's 
skill  and  strength,  83  ;  en- 
forces a  marriage  between  Have- 
lok and  Goldborough,  84  ;  cap- 
tured, tried  as  a  traitor,  and 
burnt  at  the  stake,  93-94 

GODWIN.  Earl  of  Kent,  335  j 
Lady  Gytha,  wife  of,  335  ;  in- 
tercedes on  behalf  of  Hereward, 
338  ;  Hereward  bids  farewell  to, 
339 

GOLDBOROUGH.      English      prin- 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


cess,  daughter  of  King  Athel- 
wold ;  orphaned,  80 ;  Earl 
Godrich  regent  for,  80 ;  im- 
prisoned in  Dover  Castle,  81  ; 
forced  to  wed  Havelok,  84  ; 
learns  in  a  dream  of  Havelok's 
royal  birth,  86  ;  crowned  Queen 
of  England,  94 

GOLDEN  AGB,  Forefathers  cher- 
ished lifetime  of  ancestors  as,  i 

GOTALAND.  Realm  of  Geats,  in 
south  of  Sweden,  5.  See  Geat- 
land,  7 

GOTHS.  Form  a  confederation 
with  the  Huns,  Franks,  and 
Hugas  to  overthrow  Constan- 
tine,  50 

GOWER,  "  THB  MORAL."  Early 
English  poet ;  his  poem  "  Con- 
fessio  Amantis  "  and  Constan- 
tino's conversion,  42  ;  story 
told  in  "  Confessio  Amantis  " 
of  Constant!  ne's  true  charity,  64 

GREECE.  Philosophers  from,  with 
remedies  for  Constan tine's  lep- 
rosy, 65 

GREEK-S.  Elene  touches  at  land 
of,  56;  literature,  relation  of, 
to  Irish  literature,  184 ;  of 
Homer,  early  Britons,  and 
Irish  Celts,  racial  affinity  be- 
tween, 184 

GRENDEL.  A  loathsome  fen-mon- 
ster, 3  ;  enmity  aroused  by  the 
feasting  at  Heorot,  4  ;  slays 
and  devours  Danes  in  Heorot, 
4  ;  master  of  Heorot ,  5 ; 
Beowulf  determines  to  attack, 
6  ;  struggles  with  Beowulf  in 
Heorot,  16  ;  worsted  by  Beo- 
wulf, 17  ;  mother  of,  avenges  his 
death,  21 

GREY  OF  MACHA.  Cuchulain's 
best-beloved  horse,  191 

GRIM.  Legendary  hero  whose 
loyalty  secured  privileges  to 
Grimsby,  74  ;  Godard's  thrall, 
77  ;  ordered  to  drown  Havelok, 
77  ;  saves  and  maintains 
Havelok,  79-82  ;  sails  from 
Denmark  to  England,  80 ; 
sends"  Havelok  to  Lincoln,  82  ; 
his  death,  85;  his  three  sons. 


Robert  the  Red,  William  Wen 
dut,  and  Hugh  the  Raven,  87 

GRIMSBY.  The  town  of  Grim,  74  j 
Havelok  at  fish-market  of,  82  ; 
battle  near,  between  Havelok 
and  Godrich,  93 

GUDRUN.  Reference  to  Sieg- 
fried and, 95 

GUENEVER,         CjUEBN.         Wife       of 

King  Arthur,  266 ;  dreads 
magic  arts  during  husband's 
absence,  274  ;  learns  of  King 
Arthur's  adventure  with  the 
giant,  274 ;  welcomes  the  loathly 
lady  at  court,  280 

GUEST,  THB  WISE.  Sister  of, 
marries  Thorbiorn,  103  ;  How- 
ard seeks  at  the  Thing,  108, 
109,110;  his  judgment  against 
Thorbiorn,  no,  in  ;  removes 
his  sister  from  Thorbiorn,  in; 
gives  judgment  at  Thing  against 
Howard,  118 

GYTHA,  LADY.  Wife  of  Godwin, 
Earl  of  Kent,  335 

H 

HA  BLOC.  Welsh  name  for  Have- 
lok. 73 

HACO.  Cornish  leader ;  betrothed 
to  the  Cornish  princess,  347  ; 
Cornish  princess  reveals  plans 
of,  to  Hereward,  349  ;  ambush 
planned  for,  350 ;  slain  by 
Hereward,  350 

HAROLD.  Son  of  King  Thurston, 
301  ;  slain  by  the  Saracens,  302 

HART,  THE.     See  Heorot,  3 

HASTINGS.  Battle  of,  and  "  Song 
of  Roland,"  122 

HATHCYN.  Son  of  King  Hrethel, 
brought  up  with  Beowulf  ;  slays 
his  brother,  Herebeald,  34  ; 
slain  himself  by  Swedes,  35 

HAUTECLAIRE.  Oliver's  sword, 
141 

HAVELOK  THE  DANE.  Legend  of, 
73  ;  Anlaf,  equivalent,  73  ;  hero 
of  the  strong  arm,  in  mediaeval 
England,  74  ;  son  of  King  Bir- 
kaheyn  of  Denmark,  74  ;  com- 
mitted to  care  of  Jarl  Godard, 
363 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


75  ;  imprisoned  by  Godard,  76- 
77  ;  saved  and  maintained  by 
Grim,  78-82  ;  brought  by  Grim 
to  England,  80 ;  his  feats  of 
strength,  82-84  ;  Goldborough 
forced  to  wed,  84-85  ;  Grim's 
three  sons  accompany  to  Den- 
mark, 87  ;  aided  by  Jarl  Ubbe, 
88793 ;  Ubbe  recognises  as 
heir  to  throne  of  Denmark,  and 
renders  homage  to,  90-91  ; 
acknowledged  King  of  Den- 
mark, 92  ;  and  of  England,  94 

HEALFDENB  (half-dang).  Father 
of  King  Hrothgar,  9 

HEARDRED  (ha'rd-red).  Son  of 
Hygelac  and  Hygd  ;  succeeds 
his  father,  31  ;  his  death,  31 

HECTOR.     Reference  to  death  of, 

95 

HELENA.  British  princess  ;  mar- 
riage with  Constantine  glorified 
in  "  Mabinogion,"  42  ;  hailed 
as  Empress  of  Rome,  48,  49  ; 
receives  three  castles  as  dowry, 
Caernarvon,  Caerlleon,  and  Caer- 
marthen,  49 ;  mother  of  Con- 
stantine the  Great,  63 

HELL.  The  purchase  of  souls  for, 
170-183  ;  Cathleen  sells  her  soul 
to,  179 

HENGEST.  Deeds  of,  chanted  in 
Heorot,  19 

HEOROT  (hyo'r-flt).  Hall  built 
by  Hrothgar,  3  ;  same  as  "  The 
Hart,"  3  ;  enmity  of  Grendel 
to,  4  ;  feasting  of  Danes  in,  4  ; 
Danes  slaughtered  in,  by  Gren- 
del, 4  ;  deserted  by  Danes,  5  ; 
Grendel  master  of,  5  ;  Geats 
proceed  to,  9  ;  feast  in,  to  wel- 
come Beowulf,  12  ;  Grendel 
and  Beowulf  struggle  in,  16 ; 
Grendel's  mother  enters  and 
carries  off  Aschere,  2 1 

HEREBEALD  (he're-bald).  Son  of 
King  Hrethel,  brought  up  with 
Beowulf,  34 

HEREWARD.  One  of  the  famous 
outlaws,  225;  the  Saxon,  per- 
sonality real,  yet  surrounded 
by  cloud  of  romance,  334  ;  the 
ideal  of  Anglo-Saxon  chivalry, 

364 


as  Roland  of  Norman,  334 ; 
second  son  of  Leofric  and  Go- 
diva,  336 ;  terror  of  Fen 
Country,  336 ;  at  court,  and 
his  conduct  there,  337 ;  banished 
as  an  outlaw,  338,  339 ;  his 
farewell,  338,  339 ;  his  first 
meeting  with  Alftruda,  339  ; 
goes  to  his  godfather,  Gilbert 
of  Ghent,  339  ;  enrolled  among 
Flemings  to  qualify  for  knight- 
hood, 339  ;  his  encounter  with 
the  Fairy  Bear,  340,  341  ;  res- 
cues Alftruda,  341  ;  his  trick 
on  the  Norman  knights,  341, 

342  ;  leaves  Northumbria,  342  ; 
takes  farewell  of  Alftrnda,  342  ; 
takes    farewell    of    Gilbert    of 
Ghent,  343  ;  sails  for  Cornwall, 

343  ;    at  court  of   King   Alef, 
343 ;     kills   the   Pictish   giant, 
343  ;  imprisoned  by  King  Alef, 
343  ;    released  by  King  Alef's 
daughter,    344,   345  ;    sails  for 


Ireland,  346 ;  sails  for  Corn- 
wall with  Prince  Sigtryg,  347  ; 
obtains  admission  to  Haco's 


bridal  feast,  348  ;  learns  Haco's 
plans,  349 ;  slays  Haco  and 
helps  to  rescue  Cornish  princess, 
35°.  35 1  I  known  as  Hereward 
the  Saxon,  the  Champion  of 
Women,  351 

HEROD.  Constantine  declared 
more  cruel  than,  67 

HEX -WARE,  THE.  Expedition 
against,  31,  34 

HIGHLANDS.  Gaelic,  old  ballads, 
heroes  in,  248  ;  ballads,  merely 
versions  of  Irish  Gaelic  hero- 
legends,  248 ;  Irish  Gaelic  hero- 
legends  carried  from  Erin  to, 
248 

HILDEBURH,  QUEEN.  Deeds  of, 
chanted  in  Heorot,  19 

HN^F  (n&f).  Deeds  of,  chanted  in 
Heorot,  19 

HOLY  CROSS.  Constantino's 
vision  of,  42,  50,  5 1  ;  his  desire 
to  find,  54  ;  Elene's  quest  after, 
54-62 ;  Judas  confesses  to 
knpwledge  of  sacred  truth  of, 
57 ;  Judas  refuses  to  reveal 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


place  of,  at  first,  but  is  pre- 
vailed upon  by  starvation,  58, 
59  ;  the  "  Day  "  of,  ordained,  62 

HOLY  INNOCENTS.  Constantino 
declared  more  cruel  than  Herod, 
who  killed  the,  67 

HOLY  LAND.  Black  Colin  re- 
ceives tidings  of  fresh  crusade 
in,  250 ;  sets  out  for,  252  ; 
Black  Colin's  desire  to  see,  253 

HOLY  NAILS.  Obtained  by  Elene, 
61  ;  given  to  Constantine,  62 

HOLY  ROOD.  King  Arthur  vows 
by,  268  ;  giant  forces  him  to 
swear  by,  270 

HOLY  SEPULCHRE.  Black  Colin's 
desire  to  see,  253 

HOLY  TREE.     See  Holy  Cross 

HOMER.  Greeks  of,  early  Britons, 
and  Irish  Celts,  racial  affinity 
between,  184 

HOOD,  ROBIN.     See  Robin  Hood 

HORN.  His  story  originally  a 
story  of  Viking  raids,  286  ;  son 
of  King  Murry  and  Queen  God- 
hild,  286,  308  ;  Athulf,  and 
next  Fikenhild,  his  favourite 
companions,  287  ;  captured  by 
Saracens,  288  ;  cast  adrift 
upon  the  sea,  288,  289  ;  lands 
on  shore  of  Westernesse,  289  ; 
questioned  by  King  of  Wester- 
nesse, 290  ;  adopted  by  King 
Ailmar,  291  ;  Athelbrus  trains 
as  a  knight,  291,  292  ;  loved 
by  Princess  Rymenhild,  292  ; 
Athulf  personates  before  Prin- 
cess Rymenhild,  293  ;  wel- 
comed to  Rymenhild's  bower, 
and  hears  her  declaration  of  love, 
294,  295  ;  dubbed  knight,  297  ; 
his  first  exploit,  298  ;  spied  on 
by  Fikenhild,  299,  300 ;  ban- 
ished by  King  Ailmar,  300 ; 
sails  for  Ireland,  301  ;  serves 
King  Thurston  under  name  of 
Cuthbert,  301  ;  slays  the  giant 
emir,  301,  302  ;  King  Thurston 
offers  his  kingdom  and  daughter 
to,  302  ;  receives  letter  from 
Rymenhild,  304 ;  reveals  his 
identity  to  King  Thurston  and 
implores  his  help,  304  ;  returns 


to  Westernesse,  accompanied 
by  Irish  knights,  304 ;  in  dis 
guise,  visits  Rymenhild's  wed 
ding  feast,  305  ;  his  stratagem 
to  test  Rymenhild's  love,  306, 
307 ;  the  fictitious  death  of, 
307 ;  reveals  his  identity  to 
Rymenhild,  307 ;  arranges 
with  Athulf  to  deliver  Rymen- 
hild, 308 ;  weds  Rymenhild, 
308  ;  reconquers  Suddene,  3 10 ; 
finds  his  mother,  310,  311  ; 
crowned  King  of  Suddene,  311; 
warned  in  dream  of  Rymen- 
hild's danger,  311  ;  his  return 
to  Westernesse,  311,  312  ;  slays 
Fikenhild,  313  ;  dwells  at  Sud- 
dene with  Rymenhild,  313 

HOWARD  THB  HALT.  Popular 
Icelandic  saga,  96;  famous 
Viking,  97  ;  Biargey,  wife  of, 
97  ;  Olaf,  son  of,  97  ;  upbraids 
Olaf,  100  ;  removes  from  Bath- 
stead,  103 ;  mourns  Olaf's 
death,  106 ;  claims  wergild 
for  Olaf,  1 06-11 1  ;  sheltered 
by  Steinthor,  108,  109 ;  urged 
by  Biargey  to  seek  vengeance, 
1 06,  107, 113;  seeks  help  of  Val- 
brand,  1 14 ;  slays  Thorbiorn, 
116;  sheltered  by  Steinthor, 
117;  judgment  of  Thing  against, 
118  ;  his  nephews  exiled,  118 

HRETHEL  (rethel).  Father  of 
Hygelac  and  grandfather  of 
Beowulf,  6  ;  Beowulf  and  the 
king's  sons,  Herebeald,  Hath- 
cyn,  and  Hygelac,  34  ;  Beowulf 
recites  his  death,  35 

HRETHRIC  (re'th-ric).  Son  of 
Hrothgar  ;  succeeds  his  father, 
3i 

HROTHGAR  (roth'gar).  Great- 
grandson  of  Scyld,  2  ;  builds  the 
hall  Heorot.  or  "The  Hart," 
3  ;  grief  of,  over  Grendel's  fierce 
ravages,  4 ;  champions  offer 
aid  to,  5  ;  Geats  conducted  to, 
8 ;  son  of  Healf  dene,  9  ;  Wealh- 
theow,  wife  of,  14 ;  rejoices 
over  Beowulf's  victory,  18-29  ; 
Aschere,  thane  of,  carried  off 
by  Grendel's  mother,  21  ;  grief 
365 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


of,  over   loss   of   Aschere,    22 ; 
succeeded  by  his  son  Hrethric, 

31 

HRUNTING  (runting).  Hunferth's 
sword,  lent  Beowulf  for  the 
purpose  of  attacking  Grendel's 
mother,  23-25 

HUGAS.     See  Huns,  50 

HUGH  THE  RAVEN.  Youngest 
son  of  Grim ;  accompanies 
Havelok  to  Denmark,  87 

HUMBER.     Grim  arrives  in,  81 

HUNFERTH.  Hrothgar's  orator, 
jealous  of  Beowulf,  12  ;  lends 
Beowulf  his  sword,  Hrunting, 
23.  24 

HUNS.  Form  a  confederation 
with  the  Goths,  Franks,  and 
Hugas  to  overthrow  Constan- 
tino, 50  ;  Romans  conquer  by 
Cross  standard,  52 

HYGD.  Wife  of  King  Hygelac  ; 
hails  Beowulf's  return  to  Geat- 
land,  29,  30  ;  offers  crown  to 
Beowulf,  31 

HYGELAC  (he'gS-lac).  King  of 
Geats,  i  ;  son  of  King  Hrethel, 
5,  34 ;  brother-in-law  of  Ecg- 
theow,  6  ;  uncle  of  Beowulf,  6  ; 
hails  Beowulf's  return  to  Geat- 
land,  29,  30 ;  Beowulf  chief 
champion  of,  30  ;  slain  in  ex- 
pedition against  the  Hetware, 
31  ;  succeeded  by  his  son,  Hear- 
dred,  31  ;  brought  up  with 
brothers,  Herebald  and  Hath- 
cyn,  and  Beowulf,  34 


ICEFIRTH.     Thorbiorn  in,  97 

ICELAND.   Christian  faith  in,  96, 97 

ICELANDIC.  i.  Saga,  "  Howard 
the  Halt,"  96.  2.  Ghosts,  refer- 
ence to,  96 

INNIS  EOALAN.  The  Lady  of 
Loch  Awe  builds  a  castle  on 
ruins  of  White  House  on,  257 

INNOCENTS,  HOLY.  Constantino 
declared  more  cruel  than  Herod, 
who  killed  the,  67 

IRELAND.     Characteristics     com- 

366 


mon  to  people  of,  156  ;  known 
in  olden  Europe  as  "  Isle  of 
Saints,"  157;  Gospel  preached 
to  people  of,  157;  High  King 
of,  convinced  of  truth  of  Trinity, 
157  ;  strife  in,  158  ;  famine  in, 
1 59-1-83  ;  famine  tempts  people 
to  revolt  from  the  True  Faith, 
167  ;  demons  arrive  in,  168  ; 
Cuchulain  without  fear  among 
the  champions  of,  185  ;  Horn 
at,  301-304  ;  Horn  touches  at, 
on  way  to  Suddene,  313  ;  Sig- 
tryg,  son  of  a  Danish  king,  in, 
343  ;  Hereward  sails  for,  346 
IRISH.  Relation  of  literature,  to 
Greek  literature,  184 ;  Celts, 
early  Britons,  and  Greeks  of 
Homer,  one  stock,  184  ;  heroes, 
and  legends  concerning,  248 
ISLE  OF  SAINTS.  See  Ireland,  1 57 
ITALY.  Claims  Roland  in  guise 
of  Orlando,  Orlando  Furioso, 
Orlando  Innamorato,  121 


JERUSALEM.  The  place  where 
Christ  suffered,  54 ;  Elene's 
quest  in,  to  find  the  sacred  Cross, 
54-62  ;  Constantino  and  Elene 
build  a  glorious  church  in,  61  ; 
Cyriacus  (Judas)  Bishop  of,  61  ; 
messenger  to  Black  Colin 
familiar  with  all  holy  places 
in,  250  ;  Black  Colin  as  a  pil- 
grim at,  253 

JESUS  CHRIST.  The  Cross  the 
sign  of,  5  3  ;  the  Resurrection  and 
Ascension  of,  preached  to  Con- 
stantine,  53 

JEWS.  Elene's  quest  to  land  of, 
to  find  sacred  Cross,  55-58 ; 
the  Chosen  People,  56 ;  sum- 
moned, but  dismissed  in  peace, 
by  Elene,  58 

JOHN.  i.  Son  of  Sir  John  of  the 
Marshes,  205  ;  Gamelyn  left  in 
charge  of,  206 ;  Gamelyn  re- 
sists, 207,  208  ;  his  great  feast, 
216 ;  put  in  chains  by  Game- 
lyn, 217;  proclaims  Gamelyn 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


a  wolf's-head,  220 ;  his  death  by 
hanging,  224.  2.  Little.  See 
Little  John 

JOSEPH  and  his  brethren,  "Game- 
lyn  "  a  version  of  story  of,  204 

TUD^A.     See  Jerusalem 

JUDAS.  Grandson  of  Zacchaeus  ; 
confesses  to  knowledge  of  secret 
truth  of  Holy  Tree,  57  ;  refuses 
at  first  to  disclose  the  secret 
place  of  the  Holy  Cross,  but  is 
prevailed  upon  by  starvation, 
58,  59  ;  baptismal  name  Cyria- 
cus,  6 1  ;  Ganelon  compared 
with,  121 

JUDGMENT,  DAY  OF,  71 

JULIUS  CESAR  and  early  Britons, 
184 

K 

KAY,  SIR.  Steward  of  King 
Arthur's  household,  266  ;  jeers 
at  loathly  lady,  277 

KENT.  Earldom  of,  held  by 
Godwin,  335 

KERRY.     Champions  drive  to,  196 

KILCHURN  CASTLE.  New  castle 
built  with  rents  of  Glenurchy, 
264 

KNIGHT  OF  COURTESY.  The  true, 
is  Sir  Gawayne,  King  Arthur's 
nephew,  265 

KNIGHT  OF  LOCH  AWB.  Equiva- 
lent, Black  Colin  Campbell,  249 

KYNON.  Son  of  Eudav,  grand- 
son of  Caradoc,  49 


LADY  OF  GLENURCHY.  Grief  of, 
251  ;  the  gold  ring  token,  252  ; 
wooed  by  Baron  MacCorquo- 
dale,  254-257  ;  receives  forged 
letter,  255  ;  her  stratagem  to 
delay  her  marriage,  256  ;  builds 
a  castle  on  ruins  of  White  House 
on  Innis  Eoalan,  256,  257  ; 
recognises  and  welcomes  her 
husband,  262 

LADY  OF  LOCH  Aw».  Same  as 
Lady  of  Glenurchy,  251 

LAB-GAI'RK.     Bricriu     urged     to 


claim  title  of,  187 ;  Fedelm, 
wife  of,  1 89 ;  awarded  Cham- 
pion's Portion  by  Queen  Meave, 
195  ;  claim  tested  by  Curoi, 
196-203  ;  disgraced  by  Uath, 

201 

LANCELOT,  SIR.  A  Knight  of  th ; 
Round  Table,  266 

LEA,  SIR  RICHARD  OF  THE. 
Stranger  guest  of  Robin  Hood's, 
323 

LEITH.  Black  Colin  takes  ship 
at,  for  Holy  Land,  253 

LENDABAIR.     Conall's  wife,  189 

LEOFRIC.  Earl  of  Mercia,  335  ; 
Lady  Godiva,  wife  of,  335  , 
Hereward,  second  son  of,  336  ; 
Hall  of  Bourne,  home  of,  336  ; 
his  wrath  kindled  against  Here- 
ward,  337  ;  asks  for  writ  of 
outlawry  against  Hereward, 
338  ;  Hereward  bids  farewell 
to,  339 

LEOFRICSSON,  HEREWARD.  See 
Hereward 

LEVE  (lave).  Wife  of  Grim  the 
fisherman,  78 

LIGHTFOOT,  MARTIN.  Hereward's 
follower  who  accompanied  him 
inte  exile,  339  ;  assists  Here- 
ward in  his  trick  on  Norman 
knights,  341,  342  ;  cast  into 
prison  by  King  Alef,  343  ;  re- 
leased by  King  Alef's  daughter, 
344,  345 

LINCOLN.     Grim  carries   fish  to 
8 1  ;      Havelok    goes    to,     82 
Havelok   becomes   porter,    82 
Havelok's  fame  in,  83  ;    God 
rich    summons    his    army  to, 
against  Havelok,  93  ;  Godrich's 
trial  and  death  at,  94 

LITTLB  JOHN.  One  of  Robin 
Hood's  followers,  315  ;  searches 
the  stranger  knight's  coffer,  319; 
counts  out  four  hundred  pounds 
to  stranger  guest,  322,  323  ;  acts 
as  squire  to  Sir  Richard  of  the 
Lea,  323-327 

LOATHLY  LADY,  THB,  and  King 
Arthur,  271-274  ;  demands  of 
King  Arthur  a  young  and  hand- 
some knight  for  husband,  as 

367 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


price  of  her  help,  274 ;  Sir 
Gawayne  offers  to  wed,  275  ; 
Sir  Kay  jeers  at,  277  ;  her  be- 
trothal to  Sir  Gawayne,  279  ; 
her  marriage  with  Sir  Gawayne, 
280 ;  set  free  from  magic 
spells,  281-285 

LOCH  AWE.     See  Awe,  Loch 

LONDON.  Visit  to,  of  William  of 
Cloudeslee  and  fellow  outlaws, 
241 

Louis.  Charlemagne's  son,  Count 
of  the  Marshes,  promised  to 
Aude  the  Fair,  155 

LUGH  OF  THE  LONG  HAND.  Great 
god,  reputed  father  of  Cuchu- 
lain,  185 


MABINOGION.  A  series  of  Welsh 
legends  ;  glorifies  marriage  of 
British  princess  Helena  and  Con- 
stantine,  42 

MACCORQUODALB,  BARON.     WoOCS 

the  Lady  of  Loch  Awe,  254- 
257  ;  his  stratagem  of  a  forged 
letter,  255  ;  hears  of  Black 
Colin's  return,  263 

MACGREGORS.  Expelled  from 
Glenurchy,  249 

MAHOMET.  Saracens  declare  de- 
termination to  win  land  of  Sud- 
dene  according  to  law  of,  287  ; 
faith  of,  thrown  off  by  Saracens 
for  the  true  faith,  310 

MAIRI.  Old  widow  in  whose 
house  the  demon  traders  lived, 

*73 

MARSILB.  King  of  Moors; 
defies  Charlemagne,  122  ;  idols 
of,  122 ;  Blancandrin's  advice 
to,  123  ;  sends  an  embassage 
to  Charlemat  124;  offers 
become  a  Christian,  124-126  ; 
Ganelon  sent  to,  with  Charle- 
magne's terms,  130  ;  Ganelon's 
reception  by,  131,  132  ;  takes 
counsel  with  leaders,  132  ; 
swears  on  the  book  of  Law  of 
Mahomet  the  treacherous  death 
of  Roland,  134 ;  pursues  the 
Prankish  army,  r  37  ;  Roland 

368 


slays  only  son  of,  147  ;  mor- 
tally wounded,  he  returns  to 
Saragossa,  147  ;  his  death,  154 

MARTIN.     See  Lightfoot 

MASSES.  Of  the  Father,  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  of  Our  Lady,  heard 
daily  by  Robin  Hood,  315 

MAXEN  WLEDIG.  "The  Dream 
of,"  preserved  in  the  "  Mabino- 
gion,"  42-49 ;  Emperor  of 
Rome,  43  ;  expedition  down 
the  Tiber,  43  ;  his  vision  near 
Rome,  43  ;  his  vision  declared, 
44-47  ;  ambassadors  sent  out 
to  find  the  maiden  of  his  dream, 
47,  48  ;  journeys  himself  to 
land  of  Arvon,  48,  49  ;  conquers 
Britain  from  Beli,  son  of  Mano- 
gan,  48  ;  weds  Helena,  daughter 
of  Eudav,  49  ;  Constantino, 
son  of,  the  only  British-born 
Emperor  of  Rome,  49 

MAXENTIUS.  Emperor ;  hero  of 
Welsh  saga  "  Mabinogion,"  42 

MAXIMIAN.  The  Emperor ;  father 
of  Fausta,  who  became  Constan- 
tino's wife,  64 

MEAD.  Dwelling-place  of  Guest 
the  Wise,  103 

MEAVB.  Queen  of  Connaught, 
wife  of  King  Ailill;  to  decide 
claims  to  title  of  Chief  Cham- 
pion, 189 ;  pronounces  judg- 
ment, 195 

MERCIA.  Earldom  of,  held  by 
Leofric,  335 

MODI.  King  of  Reynes  ;  wooes 
Rymenhild,  303  ;  slain  by 
Horn,  308  ;  land  of,  committed 
to  care  of  Sir  Athelbrus,  3 1 3 

MONA.  Sacred  isle  of ;  same 
as  Anglesey ;  ambassadors  of 
Maxen  Wledig  view,  ^f 

"  MONTJOIB  1  MONTJOIE  !  "  Battle- 
cry  of  Franks,  under  Roland, 
140,  142,  148 

MOORS.  Rulers  of,  and  Charle- 
magne, 119;  and  Franks  meet 
in  battle,  140 

MORDRBD,  SIR.  One  of  King 
Arthur's  nephews,  266 

MOST  HIGH.  Grendel  outcast 
from  mercy  of,  4 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


MUCH.  One  of  Robin  Hood's 
followers,  315;  assists  to  count 
out  gold  for  stranger  guest,  323 

MURRY.  King  of  Suddene,  286 ; 
Queen  Godhild  consort  of,  286  ; 
Horn,  son  of,  286 ;  attacked 
and  slain  by  Saracens,  287,  288 


N 


NAESI.     Irish  hero,  156 

NAILS,  THB  HOLY.  Obtained  by 
Elene,  61  ;  given  to  Constan- 
tine,  62 

NAIMES,  DUKE.  One  of  Charle- 
magne's Twelve  Peers,  126, 
136,  137  ;  urges  Charlemagne  to 
hasten  to  rescue  of  Roland,  146 

NORMAN  ENGLAND.  Royal  autho- 
rity in,  how  asserted,  314 

NORMANS.  Or  Flemings ;  Here- 
ward  enrolled  among,  to  qualify 
for  knighthood,  339 ;  Here- 
ward's  trick  on,  with  Fairy 
Bear,  34 1,  342 

NORSE  influence  in  connection 
with  story  of  "  King  Horn,"  286 

NORSEMEN.  Firm  hold  of  blood- 
feud  on  imagination  of,  96 

NORTH  COUNTRY.  Equivalent, 
Ulster,  165 

NORTH  SEA.  Forefathers  who 
dwelt  on  shores  of,  i  ;  ambas- 
sadors of  Maxen  Wledig  reach, 

NORTHUMBRIA.  Inheritance  of 
Anlaf,  73 ;  writ  of  outlawry 
against  Hereward  only  of 
nominal  weight  in,  339;  Earl 
Siward  ruler  in,  339 ;  Hereward 
leaves,  342 

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.  The  Sheriff 
of,  and  Robin  Hood,  315 


ODIN.     The  raven,  the  bird  of,  115 
OISIN.     Scotch    embodiment   of 

Ossian,  248 

OLAF.  i.  Same  as  Anlaf,  &c., 
73.  2.  Son  of  famous  Viking, 
Howard  the  Halt,  97 ;  finds 
Thorbiorn's  lost  sheep,  08-100  ; 


kills  a  wizard,  101  ;  second 
fight  with  the  wizard's  ghost, 
102 ;  wooes  Sigrid,  99,  103  ; 
meets  Thorbiorn,  103-106  ;  his 
death,  106 ;  Howard  claims 
wergild  for,  106-111  ;  wergild 
awarded  for,  118 

OLIFANT.  Roland's  horn,  138 ; 
blown  by  Roland,  145,  146 ; 
Roland's  dying  blast  on,  149 

OLIVER.  One  of  Charlemagne's 
Twelve  Peers,  125,  136;  de- 
scries the  Saracens  and  pro- 
claims Ganelon's  treason,  138  ; 
appeals  to  Roland  to  blow  his 
horn,  138  ;  Hauteclaire,  sword 
of,  141  ;  objects  to  Roland 
blowing  his  horn,  144 ;  mor- 
tally wounded  by  Marsile's 
uncle,  148  ;  under  misappre- 
hension, strikes  Roland  with 
Hauteclaire,  148  ;  his  death, 
148,  149  ;  avenged  by  Charle- 
magne, 153,  154 

OONA.  Cathleen's  foster-mother, 
178  ;  her  vision,  182 

ORCHY.  River,  running  through 
Glenurchy,  249 

ORESTES.  Reference  to  Electra 
and,  95 

ORLANDO,  ETC.  Italy  claims 
Roland  in  guise  of,  121 

OSSIAN.  Hero  in  Gaelic  Highland 
poems,  248  ;  Scotch  embodi- 
ment of  Oisin,  248 

OTHO.  Son  of  Sir  John  of  the 
Marshes,  205 ;  becomes  surety 
for  Gamelyn,  221  ;  arrested 
owing  to  failure  of  Gamelyn  to 
appear  at  court,  223  ;  released 
by  Gamelyn,  223  ;  sits  on 
judge's  seat  with  Gamelyn  and 
condemns  Sir  John,  224  ;  ap- 
pointed sheriff  by  King  Ed- 
ward I.,  224  ;  makes  Gamelyn 
his  heir,  224 

OUR  LADY.  Robin  Hood  accepts 
her  surety  for  four  hundred 
pounds  lent  to  stranger  guest, 
322  ;  the  Black  Monk  and  the 
suretyship,  331-333 

OUTLAWS.     Famous :    Hereward, 

Robin  Hood,  William  of  Cloudes- 

369 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


lee,  226 ;  pardoned  by  king, 
243  ;  rules  of,  in  case  of  Robin 
Hood,  316;  their  feast,  317,  318, 
330 


PAMPELUNA.  Taken  by  Charle- 
magne, 119 

PARADISE.    Cathleen's  soul  in,  182 

PATTERSON.  Name  of  foster- 
parents  of  Black  Colin,  250 

PEERS.  Of  France,  125,  136; 
the  champions  of  the  Moors 
challenge  the  Twelve,  of  France, 
137  ;  of  Charlemagne,  triumph 
over  Marsile's  twelve  cham- 
pions, 141  ;  their  death,  143- 
153  ;  avenged  by  Charlemagne, 

153. 154 
PENELOPE.     Lady  of  Loch  Awe 

turns  to  guile,  as  did,  256 
PEOPLB  OF  THB  HILLS.     Cuchu- 

lain's  friends  among,  198,  199 
PERSIA.     Constantino's  valour  in 

wars  in,  64  ;    physicians  from, 

with  remedies  for  Constantine's 

leprosy,  65 
PETER  AND  PAUL.     The  Apostles  ; 

appear  in  a  vision  to  Constan- 

tine,  70,  71 
PICTISH     GIANT.       King     Alef's 

daughter    betrothed    to,     343  ; 

slain  by  Hereward,  343 
PLANTAGENETS.     England  under, 

314 
POPB.     Head    of    Holy    Catholic 

Church,    119;    proclaims  Holy 

War  at  Rome,  251;  sees  Black 

Colin,  253  ;   regarded  by  Black 

Colin    as    Vicar   of   Christ    on 

earth,  253 
PRIAM.     Reference  to  lament  of, 

95 

PYRENEES.  Charlemagne's  march 
through  passes  of,  1 19  ;  Prankish 
army  marches  toward,  1 34 


RANALD.     King     of     Waterford, 
345.  346 ;    Prince  Sigtryg.  son 
370 


of,  345  ;  Hereward  at  fsast  of. 
346,  347 

RANALDSSON,  SIGTRYG.  See  Sig- 
tryg 

RED  BRANCH.  Heroes  of,  invited 
to  feast  by  Bricriu,  186  ;  heroes 
return  to,  199 ;  Uath,  the 
Stranger,  comes  to,  1 99  ;  heroes 
of,  and  Uath,  the  Stranger,  1 99- 
203  ;  champions  of,  identical 
with  Highland  Gaelic  heroes, 
248 

REYNES.  Modi,  King  of,  303  ; 
wooes  Rymenhild,  303,  304 

REYNILD.  Daughter  of  King 
Thurston ;  offered  to  Horn, 
302  ;  weds  Sir  Athulf,  313 

RHINE.     Black     Colin's    journey 

"P.  253 

RHODES.  Black  Colin  journeys 
to,  253  ;  supposed  news  from, 
by  man  of  Black  Colin's  band, 
2S5 

RICHARD,  SIR,  OF  THE  LEA,  Robin 
Hood's  stranger-guest,  317-324 ; 
Robin  Hood's  loan  to,  322-324  ; 
his  land  in  Uterysdale,  323  ; 
redeems  his  land  from  Abbot  of 
St.  Mary's,  324-327  ;  sets  out 
to  repay  loan,  328  ;  defends  the 
right  at  a  wrestling  contest,  328; 
arrives  before  Robin  Hood  to 
repay  loan,  but  is  exempt,  333  ; 
returns  to  Uterysdale,  333  ;  his 
power  used  to  protect  the  out- 
laws, 333 

ROBERT  THB  RED.  Eldest  son 
of  Grim  ;  accompanies  Havelok 
to  Denmark,  87 

ROBIN  HOOD.  Romantic  sym- 
pathy with,  225  ;  one  of  the 
famous  outlaws,  226 ;  the  ori- 
ginal, 314;  forest  of  Barnesdale 
at  one  time  his  dwelling-place, 
314,  315;  Sherwood  Forest, 
headquarters  of,  315  ;  Little 
John,  Will  Scarlet,  and  Much,  his 
three  most  loyal  followers,  315  ; 
three  Masses  heard  bv  3^5  ; 
sends  his  followers  WatJing 
Street,  316  ;  his  outlaw  rules, 
316 ;  stranger  guest  brought 
to,  317  ;  lends  stranger  guest 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


lour  hundred  pounds.  322  ; 
sends  his  followers  again  to 
Watling  Street,  329  ;  his  fol- 
lowers capture  and  bring  to 
greenwood,  as  guest,  the  Black 
Monk,  330 ;  appropriates  gold 
of  the  Black  Monk  as  payment 
of  loan  to  Sir  Richard  of  the 
Lea,  331,  332  ;  exempts  Sir 
Richard  from  repayment  of 
four  hundred  pounds,  333  ; 
dwells  securely  in  the  green- 
wood under  Sir  Richard's  pro 
tection,  333 

ROLAND.  Charlemagne's  nephew ; 
fame  of,  in  romance,  119;  his- 
torical basis  of  legend  of,  1 20  ; 
in  Spanish  legend,  121 ;  "Saga" 
in  French  literature,  121  ; 
"  Chanson  de  Roland  "  and, 
xai ;  ona  of  the  Twelve  Peers, 
125  ;  destruction  plotted  by 
Blancandrin  and  Ganelon,  131, 
134  ;  plants  his  banner  on  top- 
most summit  of  Pyrenees,  134  ; 
appointed  to  command  rear- 
guard, 13$  ;  appealed  to  by 
Oliver  to  blow  his  horn,  138  ; 
his  army  defeats  Saracens,  141  ; 
defeats  second  Saracen  army, 
143  ;  attacked  by  third  Sara- 
cen army,  144 ;  willing  to  blow 
horn,  but  Oliver  objects,  144 ; 
blows  Olifant,  145,  146  ;  Char- 
lemagne hastens  to  rescue  of, 
but  arrives  too  late,  146  ;  slays 
only  son  of  Marsile,  147  ; 
smitten  by  Oliver  in  mistake, 
148  ;  set  upon  by  four  hundred 
Saracens,  1 50  ;  realising  death 
near,  he  tries  to  destroy  sword 
Durendala,  152;  his  death, 
153  ;  avenged  by  Charlemagne, 

*53.  *54 

ROMAN  EMPIRB.  Charlemagne 
head  of.  119 

ROMANS.  Conquer  Huns  by  the 
Cross  standard,  52 

ROMR.  Church  of.  Constant! ne's 
generosity  to,  42  ;  Maxen  Wled ig 
seeks  rest  near,  43,  46 ;  Princess 
Helena  Tiailed  Empress  of,  48, 
49  ;  Constantino  calls  a  council 


of  all  wisest  men  in,  53  ;  Black 
Colin's  messenger  just  home 
from,  251  ;  Holy  War  pro- 
claimed by  Pope  at,  251  ;  Black 
Colin  reaches,  253  ;  Black 
Colin's  supposed  letter  from,  255 

RONCBSVALLHS.  Roland's  glory 
from,  1 19  ;  celebrated  in  "  Song 
of  Altobiscar,"  120;  Spam 
claims  part  of  honour  of,  120  ; 
the  battle  of,  140-153 

RONCBVAUX.  Same  as  Ronces- 
valles,  iza 

ROUND  TABLB.     Knights  of,  «66 

RYMBNHILD.  Princess,  daughter 
of  King  Ailmar;  loves  Horn, 
292  ;  Athulf  personates  Horn 
before,  293  ;  welcomes  Horn  in 
her  bower  and  declares  her  love, 
294  ;  wishes  Horn  good  success 
AS  knight,  298  ;  gives  token  to 
Horn,  298  ;  spied  on  by  Fiken- 
hild,  299,  300  ;  wooed  by  King 
Modi,  303  ;  writes  to  Horn 
through  Athulf,  303  ;  Horn  at 
wedding-feast  of,  305  ;  Horn's 
stratagem  to  test  her  love,  306, 
307  ;  her  knight  and  lover, 
Horn,  restored,  307 ;  wedded 
to  Horn,  308  ;  left  to  her 
father's  care,  309 ;  demanded 
in  marriage  by  traitor,  Fiken- 
hild,  311  ;  delivered  by  Horn, 
313  ;  dwells  at  Suddene  as 
queen,  313 


SAMSON.  Peer  of  Charlemagne  ; 
mortally  wounded,  143 

SAHACBN-S.  Host,  encamps  near 
Franks,  1 34 ;  pursue  the  Prank- 
ish army,  137;  chiefs  vow  to 
slay  Roland.  137  ;  defeat  of,  by 
Roland's  army,  141  ;  second 
army  attacks  Roland,  142  ; 
defeated  once  more,  143  ;  third 
army  attacks  Roland,  144  ; 
their  rule  in  the  Holy  Land. 
251  ;  Horn's  hatred  of,  typical 
of  romance  of  Crusades.  286  ; 
attack  and  slay  King  Murry, 

371 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


287,  288  ;  Horn's  victory  over, 
298  ;  Suddene  purged  of,  by 
Horn,  310 

SARAGOSSA.  Charlemagne  re- 
pulsed at,  119;  decided  to  send 
Ganelon  to,  as  ambassador, 
128  ;  Charlemagne's  threat  to 
take,  132  ;  Charlemagne  re- 
ceives through  Ganelon  the 
keys  of,  134;  captured  by 
Charlemagne,  154 

"  SARN  HELEN."  Roman  roads 
in  Wales  connecting  Helena's 
three  castles  known  as,  49 

SAXON  ENGLAND.  The  main- 
tenance of  justice  in,  314 

SAXON-S.  Hereward  the,  334 ; 
the  darling  hero  of  the,  334  ; 
Anglo-,  chivalry,  Hereward  the 
ideal  of,  334,  335  ;  Hereward 
the,  known  as  the  Champion  of 
Women,  351 

SCARLET,  WILL.  Cousin  to  and 
one  of  Robin  Hood's  followers, 

3*5 

SCOTLAND.  Hero-myths  of,  248  ; 
national  heroes  of  Lowland,  ac- 
tual, not  mythical,  248  ;  war 
between  England  and,  249 

SCOTTISH  INDEPENDENCE.  Sir 
Nigel  Campbell  one  of  leaders 
in  cause  of,  249 

SCYLD  SCEFING  (skild  ske'f-ing). 
Founder  of  Scyldings  dynasty, 
2  ;  coming  to  and  passing  from 
Denmark,  2  ;  Hrothgar,  great- 
grandson  of,  2 

SEVEN  HILLS.  Rome,  the  City 
of,  43  ;  Maxen  Wledig,  emperor, 
rules  Europe  from,  43 

SHERWOOD,  FOREST  OF.  Head- 
quarters of  Robin  Hood,  315 

SIEGFRIED.  Gudrun  and,  in  "  Ni- 
belungenlied,"  95 

SIGMUND.  Father  of  Fitela ; 
glory  of,  chanted  by  Danish 
bard,  18 

SIGRID.  Thorbiorn's  house- 
keeper, 97  ;  loved  by  Olaf,  99  ; 
quits  Thorbiorn's  service,  103  ; 
disappearance  of,  106 

SIGT-RYG  RANALDSSON.  Prince  of 
Waterford  »  his  troth-plight 

372 


with  King  Alef's  daughter,  343  j 
son  of  King  Ranald,  345  ;  Here- 
ward's  missio  nto,  345-347  ; 
sails  for  Cornwall  to  rescue  his 
love,  347  ;  sends  forty  Danes 
to  demand  fulfilment  of  troth- 
plight,  348  ;  Sigtryg  and  Danes 
plaa  ambush  for  Haco,  350 ; 
rescues,  and  marries,  Cornish 
princess,  350,  351 

Si  HT-RIC-SON.  Same  as  Anlaf, 
Abloec,  &c.,  73 

SIR  JOHN  OF  THB  MARSHES. 
Noble  gentleman  who  lived  in 
Lincolnshire,  in  reign  of  Edward 
I.,  204,  205 ;  father  of  John, 
Otho,  and  Gamelyn,  205  ;  his 
death,  206 

SI-WARD,  EARL.  Ruler  in  North- 
umbria,  339;  reputed  kinship  to 
Fairy  Bear,  340,  342 

SNOWDON.  Mountainous  land 
of,  reached  by  ambassadors  of 
Maxen  Wledig,  47 

SOCACH.  Black  Colin's  foster- 
parents'  dwelling-place,  250 

SOULS.  The  traffic  in,  during 
Irish  famine,  170-183;  Cath- 
leen  tries  to  check  traffic  in,  174 

SPAIN.  Charlemagne's  expedi- 
tion into,  119  ;  begins  to  quit, 
1 34 ;  returns  to,  to  rescue 
Roland,  146 

SPANISH  LEGEND.  Bernardo  del 
Carpio  and  Roland  in,  121 

SPBNCER.  i.  Adam,  steward  in 
household  of  Sir  John,  releases 
Gamelyn,  214, 215.  2.  Edmund, 
reference  to  his  Red  Cross 
Knight,  265 

STEINTHOR  OF  ERE.  Great  chief- 
tain who  shelters  Howard,  108, 
109,  117  ;  speaks  on  Howard's 
behalf  at  the  Thing,  118 

ST.  JOHN,  KNIGHTS  OF.  Black 
Colin  takes  service  with,  253  : 
Grand  Master  of,  253 

ST.  MARY.  Abbey  of,  in  York, 
lands  of  stranger  knight  in 
pledge  to  Abbot  of,  321  ;  land 
redeemed  by  Sir  Richard  of  the 
Lea,  324-327  ;  the  Black  Monk 
high  cellarer  in  Abbey  of,  331 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


ST.  PATRICK.  Preached  Gospel 
to  people  of  Ireland,  157 

SUDDENS.  King  Murry  and 
Queen  Godhild,  and  son  Horn, 
the  royal  family  of,  286  ;  Horn 
sails  for,  to  wrest  from  Sara- 
cens, 309 ;  Athulf's  father 
found  at,  309,  310;  Horn  re- 
conquers, 310;  a  Christian 
realm  once  more,  311  ;  Horn 
crowned  king  of,  311 

SWANBOROW.  Daughter  of  King 
Birkabeyn,  74  ;  slain  by  Godard 
76 

SWEDEN.  Gotaland,  realm  of 
Geats  in  south  of,  5 

SWEDES.  Slay  Hathcyn,  son  of 
King  Hrethel,  35 

SWITZERLAND.  Black  Colin  and 
Highland  clansmen.'pass  through, 
253 

SYLVESTER.  Bishop  of  Rome; 
and  Constantine,  42  ;  Constan- 
tine  told  in  a  vision  to  send 
for,  70  ;  preaches  the  Christian 
faith  to  Constantine,  71 


TAILLEFER.  "  Song  of  Roland  " 
and,  122 

TARA.     Black  stone  of,  1 57 

TARN  WATHELAN.  Giant  in 
castle  near,  ill-treats  maiden, 
267  ;  King  Arthur's  journey  to, 
and  fight  with  giant  who  lived 
in  Castle  of,  269,  270  ;  King 
Arthur  summons  court  to  hunt 
near,  276  ;  the  churlish  knight  of, 
set  free  from  magic  spells,  284 

TEUTONIC  NORTH.  Beowulf  famous 
throughout,  5 

THBRSITBS.  Compared  with  Bri- 
criu  of  the  Bitter  Tongue,  186 

THING.  Howard  at  the,  107,  108, 
117,  nt 

THOR-BIORN.  Mighty  chief  on 
shores  of  Icefirth,  97  ;  Vakr, 
aephew  of,  97  ;  Olaf  and  sheep 
of,  98-100;  whale  unjustly  ad- 
judged to,  102  ;  marries  sister  of 
Guest,  103  ;  Sigrid  leaves,  103  ; 


meets  Olaf,  103-106;  War 
flame,  magic  sword  of,  104-106  ( 
thrusts  [Olaf  with  Warflame, 
1 06  ;  Howard  claims  wergild 
from,  106-111  ;  Guest's  judg- 
ment against,  no,  in  ;  hailed 
by  Biargey  while  out  fishing, 
us  ;  slain  by  Howard,  116 

THOR-BRAND.  Brother  of  Biar- 
gey, 113;  helps  Howard  against 
Thorbiorn,  115 

THOR-DIS.  Mother  of  Vakr  ;  sends 
second  son  to  assist  in  fight 
against  Olaf,  105 

THOR-KEL.  Lawman  and  arbi- 
trator of  Icefirth,  97  ;  his  false 
decree  concerniag  a  whale,  102 

THOR-OLD.  Same  as  Turoldus ; 
author  of  "  Song  of  Roland,"  122 

THURSTON.  King  of  Ireland ; 
served  by  Horn,  301  ;  Harold 
and  Berild,  sons  of,  302  ;  offers 
kingdom  and  his  daughter  Rey- 
aild  to  Horn,  302  ;  Horn  dis- 
closes his  identity  to,  304 

TIBER.  Hunting  expedition  down, 
by  Maxen  Wledig,  43 

TIR-NAN-OG.  The  land  of  never- 
dying  youth,  163 

TREE,  THB  HOLY.  See  Holy 
Cross 

TRINITY.  Truth  of,  demonstrated 
by  shamrock-leaf,  157 

TROJAN  WAR.  An  aacient  story, 
yet  well  known,  58 

TUCK,  FRIAR.  Masses  sung  by, 
for  Robin  Hood,  318 

TURPIN.  Archbishop  of  Charle- 
magne, one  of  Twelve  Peers, 
125,  136;  blesses  the  knights, 
1 39,  140 ;  mediates  between 
Roland  and  Oliver,  145  ;  mor- 
tally wounded,  149  ;  his  death, 
150,  151 


U 


UATH,  THE  STRANGER.  Giant  who 
tests  champions,  199-203  ;  ad- 
judges Cuchulain  Champion  of 
Heroes  of  all  Ireland,  203 

UBBE  (ub-bS).  Danish  jarl,  friend 
of  King  Birkabeyn  ;  befriends 

373 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


Havelok  and  Goldborough, 
87-93  ;  appointed  Regent  of 
Denmark  for  Havelok,  94 

ULSTER.  Fergus  commanded  to 
buy  food  at,  165  ;  Conor,  King 
of,  185  ;  Cuchulain  peer  among 
champions  of,  185  ;  Armagh, 
capital  of,  186;  Red  Branch 
heroes,  royal  bodyguard  of,  1 86 ; 
Bricriu  stirs  up  strife  among 
champions  of ,  187,  188 

UNKNOWN  GOD.  Constantino's 
acceptance  and  reverence  of 
the,  51  ;  th«  people  awed  by 
token  of,  53 

UTEKYSDALE.  Land  of  Sir 
Richard  of  the  Lea  in,  323  ;  Sir 
Richard  redeems  the  land,  324- 
327  ;  Sir  Richard  returns  to, 
333 


VAKR.  Thorbiorn's  nephew,  97  ; 
mocks  Olaf,  100  ;  jeers  at  Brand 
the  Strong,  102,  103  ;  accom- 
panies Thorbiorn  to  meet  Olaf, 
103-106)  Thordis,  mother  of, 
105  ;  his  miserable  end,  116 

VALBRAND.  Brother  of  Biargey, 
112, 113;  visited  by  Howard,  114 

VALTIERRA.  Charlemagne  retires 
to,  on  way  to  France,  1 34 

VEILLANTIF.  Roland's  steed,  136; 
slain  by  Saracens,  150 

VICAR  OF  CHRIST  on  earth, 
Black  Colin  regards  Pope  as,  253 

VIKINGS.  Gospel  preached  to,  157 

VIRGIN  MARY.  Cult  of,  121  ; 
Cathleen  invokes,  163  ;  Cath- 
leen's  people  invoke,  181 


W 

WALES.  Old  Roman  roads  in, 
that  connected  Helena's  three 
castles  still  known  as  "Sarn 
Helen,"  49  ;  legend  of  Have- 
lok the  Dane  thought  to  have 
originated  in,  73  ;  mediaeval, 
Arthurian  legend  preserved  by, 
265 

174 


WALLACE,  SIB  WILLIAM.  Scottish 
hero,  248  ;  schoolfellow  and  com- 
rade of  Sir  Nigel  Campbell,  249 

WARDEN.  Of  the  coast  of  Den- 
mark, welcomes  Beowulf,  6 ; 
conducts  Geats  to  Heorot,  8  ; 
Wulfgar,  on«  of  Hrothgar's 
nobles,  greets  Beowulf,  9 ;  of 
Geatland,  welcomes  Beowulf's 
return,  29 

WARFLAME.  Magic  sword,  owned 
by  Thorbiorn,  and  by  which  he 
himself  is  slain  by  Howard,  115, 
116 

WASHERS  OF  THB  FORD.  Wrath 
of,  and  Irish  people,  158 

WATERFORD.  Prince  Sigtryg  of, 
his  troth-plight  with  daughter 
of  King  Alef,  343  ;  Ranald, 
King  of,  345  ;  Hereward  reaches, 
346  ;  Prince  and  Princess  of, 
Hereward  the  best  friend  of ,  3  5 1 

WATLING  STREET.  Robin  Hood 
sends  his  followers  to,  316  ;  a 
year  later  sends  followers  once 
more  to,  329 

WEALHTHEOW  (wal  -  thyow), 
QUEEN.  Wife  of  Hrothgarj 
honours  Beowulf,  14,  20 

WELSH.  i.  Legends,  "Mabino- 
gion"  and  "The  Dream  of 
Maxen  Wledig,"  42  ;  Celtic 
features  in,  185.  2.  Saga,  hero 
of,  Emperor  Maxentius,  42 

WEOHSTAN  (wyo-stan).  Father 
of  Wiglaf,  who  supported  Beo- 
wulf in  his  fight  with  the  fire- 
dragon,  36 

WEST.  Constantino  a  favourite  of 
Roman  soldiery  of  the,  63  ; 
Roman  soldiery  of  the,  proclaim 
Constantino  emperor,  63 ;  tha 
fictitious  wanderings  of  Horn  in 
realms  of,  307 

WESTBRN  ISLBS.  Irish  Gaelic 
hero-legends  carried  to,  from 
Erin,  248 

WKSTERNESSB.  Childe  Horn 
lands  on  shore  of,  289  ;  Ailmar, 
King  of,  questions  Horn,  290  ; 
Horn  returns  to,  accompanied 
by  Irish  knights,  304  ;  recital 
of  the  fictitious  plans  of  Horn 


GLOSSARY  AND  INDEX 


to    reach,  within    seven  years, 

3°7 

WHITE Y.     Hereward  lands  at,  33  9 

WIG-LAF.  Son  of  Weohstan  ;  sup- 
ports Beowulf  in  his  fight  with 
the  fire-dragon,  36-41 

WILF-INGS.  Hrothgar  shields  Ecg- 
theow  from,  1 1 

WILLIAM  OF  CLOUDESLBB.  One 
of  the  famous  outlaws  of 
England,  226 

WILLIAM  TELL.  William  of 
Cloudeslee  the,  of  England, 
226  ;  Alice,  wife  of,  227  ;  goes 
to  Carlisle,  227 ;  sheriff  in- 
formed of  his  presence,  229  ; 
attacked  by  sheriff  and  his  men, 
231  ;  capture  of,  332  ;  sheriff 
sentences  to  be  hanged,  232  ; 
news  qf  his  sentence  conveyed 
to  the  greenwood,  233  ;  Clym's 
stratagem  to  save,  234  ;  res- 
cued from  death,  237,  238 ;  visits 
London  to  see  king,  241  ;  the 
king  pardons,  243  ;  shoots  apple 
from  son's  head,  245,  246  ;  re- 
ceives royal  favours  from  king 
and  queen,  246 


WILLIAM  WBNDUT.     Second  son 

of  Grim  ;  accompanies  Havelok 

to  Denmark,  87 
WINCHESTER.        Godrich      takes 

Goldborough  from,  to  Dover,  81 
WLBDIG.     See  Maxen  Wledig 
WOMEN,  CHAMPION  OF.  Hereward 

known  as,  351 
WYRD  (weird).     Goddess  of  Fate, 

13.34 


YORK.  Archbishop  of,  unites  in 
marriage  Havelok  and  Gold- 
borough,  85  ;  Abbot  of  St. 
Mary's  Abbey,  in,  321 

YORKSHIRE.  Barnesdale,  forest 
in,  once  dwelling-place  of  Robin 
Hood,  314,  315 

YULETIDE.  King  Arthur's 

knights  keep,  267 


ZACCH^EUS.  Grandfather  of  Judas, 
57 


A     000029500     6 


